Aotearoa/New Zealand consumer runway Pacific Fusion Fashion Show has officially partnered with New Zealand Fashion Week, and will now become an associated event going forward.
The latest news follows New Zealand Fashion Week’s surprise cancellation of its 2024 program. Its website now confirms that NZFW will return to Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre in August 2025.
Pacific Fusion Fashion Show reported that the partnership with NZFW comes as the consumer runway approaches its eighth show, with a statement today reading that “the endorsement and backing from New Zealand Fashion Week unlocks exciting new opportunities for growth and expansion.”
NZFW owner Feroz Ali said Pacific communities make up a very large part of the NZ population, especially in Auckland.
“I am delighted to provide the resources of NZFW in supporting the Pacific Fusion Fashion week show later this year and to support the aspirations for Pacific designers,” Ali said.
Alongside NZFW, PFFS also partnered with Pacific Media Network for its 2024 show on December 7, 2024.
PFFS founder and director Nora Swann said the PMN partnership will extend the reach of its event this year
“We want to keep evolving and innovating the show so that we’re ensuring people globally can watch the show,” Swann said.
“We see an opportunity to team up with PMN as a way of extending our runways into new community spaces through their many channels.”
PFFS’ show theme this year is 'Navigator', which is inspired by the words of late scholar and poet Teresia Kieuea Teaiwa: “We sweat and cry salt water, so we know that the ocean is really in our blood.”
The concept is being developed and explored during this year's show by PFFS creative consultant Sammy Salsa.
The fashion event will be held at Te Komititanga - Downtown Ferry Terminal in Auckland City and will feature 19 fashion designers with ties to American Samoa, Tonga, Samoa, Australia, Northern Mariana Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, the Philippines and homegrown talent from Aotearoa.
“We’re so delighted to partner and support PFFS 2024 as a significant annual event to showcase the creative talents of Pacific designers locally and from the regions,” PMN CEO Don Mann said.
“We embrace and support Pacific creatives to challenge the constraints of the system they work within - we wholeheartedly see how this movement brings together our creative sector and peoples.”
Swann, who is of Samoan/Niuean descent, said she will continue to bring together local and regional talent from abroad.