New Zealand Fashion Week Day 4 Wrap with Mima Lewis Gourdie
by Metropol | August 21, 2026 10:36 am
Daily Wrap with New Zealand Fashion Week Head Dresser and Metropol’s NZFW correspondent Mima Lewis Gourdie
Thursday, coming to you from Shed 10, the MainStage for NZFW!
Day 4 of Fashion Week and we are rolling through. With two days left of shows, we’re focusing on soaking up the good vibes and appreciating this week for what it is – spotlighting the hardworking creatives.
First on the runway for Thursday was an exciting brand debut, from Art Director and Stylist, Makaira Lee, presenting her eponymous label BY KAI. Having spent a decade in the industry, Lee’s debut collection was titled ‘When are you coming home?’ with a focus on place and belonging, through soft tailoring and everyday staples.
The runway was set against black and white childhood videos of Lee, with a sculptural feature marking the start of the runway; dried flax, splayed in a koru, climbing a chicken wire structure. Lee truly played homage to her Fijian heritage, with performers from Fiji flown in to start the runway off with a traditional dance, before models started rolling out.
The opening two looks were standouts, showcasing Lee’s ability to work with both fine tailoring and streetwear staples. First down the runway was a women’s tailored blazer and skirt, with a cut-out back, exposing the midriff, followed by a jacket with mandarin collar and pleated trousers, accessorised with an iwabele [shoulder sash], made from dried and frayed natural fibres. Other standout accessories included large, wooden, varnished circle bags hung over the models shoulders, with fringe draping onto the floor, shell jewellery and a selection of beaded belts.
The show closed out with Lee’s take on a bridal look, before an incredibly emotional finale for the designer, rushing back to drag her mother out from the wings. It’s rear to get such a vocal applause from the audience, and this show certainly had the tears flowing backstage.
Next up was the highly anticipated Future of Fashion show. Driven by Giltrap Group, this was a showcase of eight designers, selected as finalists for the ‘Helping Kiwis Fly Award: Fashion Edition’. Finalists iTi Clothes, RHIAN, Winnie Catherine, NIQ Atelier, Heather Brennan Evans, Anthurium, Zoe Langley and Laurence Sabrine were all full of excitement backstage, feeling honoured to be taking part in such a prestigious show.
With such a range of talent and distinct designer styles, the audience were kept enraptured: Anthurium’s all-black looks draped in Anthurium jewellery and chain-work; Laurence Sabrine’s chic take on red plaid in mini skirts and bardot tops; iTi’s signature colour-blocked woven features; Heather Brennan Evans’ joyful maximalist compilation of textures, prints, lace and even metallic party wigs; Winnie Catherine’s contemporary take on women’s workwear, combining 19th century silhouettes with modern, clean tailoring; RHIAN’s streetwear, utilitarian style in pink and grey hand-printed textiles; Zoe Langley’s exploration of texture through pleating, ruching and latex painted materials; NIQ Atelier’s texture rich all-white looks, with finishing in an explosion of technicolour and laser-cutting.
Massive congratulations to Winnie Solomon of Winnie Catherine, the winner of the ‘Helping Kiwis Fly Award’. We look forward to seeing what’s next from all of these designers!
The third show of the day was Kahui Collective, a compilation of 15 indigenous designers from Aotearoa and the Pacific creating a fashion movement to actively support indigenous designers. Curated by renowned designer, Kiri Nathan, this year’s show additionally featured indigenous designers from across the globe, including Arctic Luxe of Alaska and Yuma Taru of Taiwan. The runway was equally blessed by music legend and fashion enthusiast, Stan Walker, who’s vocals supported a line-up of astonishing looks.
From contemporary takes on traditional textures, motifs and silhouettes, the runway was full of colour and embellishment, paying homage to global whakapapa. Standout looks included the furs of Artic luxe’s Inupiaq Parkers and Temesia’s glossy brown trench coat, paired over a contemporary lavalava. Kahui Collective impresses every year, and 2026 was no different, with their kaupapa consistently guiding them to platform authentic and exciting names.
Closing out the day was Beach Brains. A uniquely Kiwi brand, Beach Brains, explores the natural gravity between the energy of the city and the pull of the coast, with their transpersonal approach to wardrobe staples. A presentation set against visuals of crashing waves, Beach Brains drew the audience to the quiet moments on the shoreline. Walking the runway was staple streetwear, ranging from slouching pleated trousers, to jackets and hoodies, all in a dark and moody colour palette. Within the monotone, there was a distinct exploration of personal style, exploring just how much sense-of-self can be showcased through our choice of fashion staples. The soundtrack ramped up for a hip-hop finale, showcasing the full collection, well-suited to Aotearoa’s trans-seasonal climate, just as promised.
We’ve almost reached the end of the week! With 8 shows left, the vibes are high, the work is captivating and there’s been something for everyone.
Mima’s favourite moment: Having designer’s families backstage! Makaira Lee was joined by her whole whānau, packing the collection in, modelling, even her Māmā doing finishing touches right up to showtime! Brittany of RHIAN had her husband join her backstage for Future of Fashion, and Niqita of NIQ’s Atelier had her Aunty Rhonda fine-tuning the accessories! It truly does take a village.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/new-zealand-fashion-week-day-4-wrap-with-mima-lewis-gourdie/