Heavy morning fog was reflected in quintessentially New Zealand sartorial choices of black and charcoal for attendees on day three of NZ Fashion Week Kahuria 2023. Inside the Viaduct Events Centre, the runway was anything but monochromatic when the day kicked off with the Viva Next Gen Show, which featured six rising designers who are past the graduate stage but aren’t yet household names. J Bush, Flying Fox Clothing, Lipo, Oosterom, Su`mar, and Nicole van Vuuren all showed collections that displayed their specific aesthetic and design philosophies.

Jockey followed, with a joyful underwear show that featured immensely diverse casting and included models with a range of abilities, ages, body types and fame levels (the top end being some All Blacks and Black Ferns team members). Then, two shows celebrated Indigenous design: Nichola Te Kiri’s label Kaistor St, and group show Miromoda. This has been a key, about-damn-time theme of this year’s fashion week, starting with Kiri Nathan and Campbell Luke on day one.

Zambesi’s offsite waterfront extravaganza took golden hour to the next level; it was as if the brand’s team had invited the seas, the skies, the sun and the moon to be a part of their show, so well did the elements cooperate. Over 40 models had a public audience far beyond officially invited guests as they stomped down the silver outdoor runway next to the harbour, wearing a collection that was fittingly inspired by the urban environment in shades of black, sand, pale mint and bright mauve.

Finally, Kate Sylvester packed out the main runway for a milestone show that marked 30 years of the brand. Using her vast archive as inspiration, Sylvester showed a collection that celebrates iconic and recognisable pieces from the past three decades: high-waisted knickers, full skirts, slouchy menswear suiting, a white pump and signature poppy lip were just some of the style signatures in the mix.

It was a celebratory and uplifting way to finish day three, with a suitably well-heeled crowd in attendance.

For more street-style from day one of NZ Fashion Week Kahuria 2023, click here.