SP: Hi Yasmin, thanks for taking the time to chat with us! We are super excited about New
Zealand Fashion Week this year. Can you please tell us who you are and what you do?
I am the new General Manager for New Zealand Fashion Week. I have a background as an
event and show producer, having produced events across music, dance, fashion and multi-
media for over 20 years. I began my NZFW journey at the very beginning of NZFW in 2001 as
a show producer. I’m also a mother, a sister to 7 siblings and a proud Lebanese New
Zealander.
Let’s start with the big news- what makes Fashion Week different this year, from previous
years?
While the structure of the week is essentially the same, our strategic direction for this
reimagined event is different from previous years. We are still of course celebrating the best
of Aotearoa's fashion industry, but NZFW has been reimagined in response to an
increasingly changing world; with a focus on sustainable fashion, inclusivity, and digital
technologies being at the core of the event.
Pictured: New Zealand Fashion Week General Manager.
I see that you’re doing an initiative with the Ministry of Social Development for volunteers.
How will this work? What made you do this?
As part of our commitment to being an inclusive and diverse event, we are working
alongside the Ministry of Social Development, as an Official Partner to give work experience
to 80 work and income clients across various aspects of the event. The aim is to provide the
volunteers with valuable work experience, on the job training and an extra hand with
getting some experience on their CVs. Alongside gaining work experience is the energy and
buzz and the comradery of being involved in being a part of making such an iconic event
come to life.
What are some of the challenges involved with running an event this big?
The week-long event has multiple moving parts and they all require a high level of attention
to detail which can be a challenge. It’s like a one thousand piece puzzle that has been
thrown up into the air and over time we need to piece every part together to create a
cohesive whole. Thankfully I have an amazing team working on every detail.
How did you choose the New Gen designers?
This year we invited industry experts to choose from our cohort of Next Gen Designer
applicants for the runway show. Our panellists were Amanda Linnell & Dan Ahwa of Viva, Sammy Salsa stylist, James Dobson of Jimmy D, Matt Hurley photographer and myself. We
were looking for designers that had a focus on sustainable and ethical business practices, runway potential, and who were creatively showing a point of difference and innovative thinking. We are so delighted by our group of 6 incredible Next Gen Designers and for the first time there will be a limited number of general admission tickets available, so not only industry, but the public will get the opportunity to view the future of New Zealand fashion.
NZFW23 Designers: Jacqueline-Anne & Kiri Nathan.
Are there any new partnerships you are particularly excited about this year?
We are thrilled to be working with a strong, progressive, and inspiring group of new and
existing partners for 2023. The partner portfolio reflects the new strategic direction for 2023
and beyond, and we are fortunate to be collaborating with partners which elevate and
enhance the NZFW: Kahuria brand.
What can the public expect and why should they go along?
This year we are so excited to be including more opportunities for our fashionista general
public to attend what would usually be industry only events; from designer runway shows,
panel discussions, designers chats, sustainability workshops and a clothes swap, plus our
new late night multi-media event and party, Fashion Night.
We’ll also be transforming the Viaduct Events Centre for the week into the NZFW onsite hub
and introducing our NZFW Market of delicious food. It’ll be the place to be for that week
and your ultimate destination for all your fashion week needs. People can immerse
themselves in a world where they can dine, drink, connect, recharge, and refuel, all in one
place.
What do you love about the NZ fashion industry? What do you think makes it so unique?
I love that the NZ fashion industry embraces diversity on all levels, that we don’t prescribe
to one set of rules or stringent trends and that the majority of brands encourage
individuality. As the focus on building a sustainable fashion future becomes stronger, I am
also most impressed by many of our established brands leading the way and making
changes to their businesses, while also mentoring our younger designers to make
sustainability a priority from the beginning.
