New Zealand Fashion Week Day 6 Wrap with Mima Lewis Gourdie
by Metropol | August 26, 2026 10:26 pm
Daily Wrap with New Zealand Fashion Week Head Dresser and Metropol’s NZFW correspondent Mima Lewis Gourdie
Saturday, That’s a wrap for NZFW 2026!
And just like that, it’s over! Gone in a blur of beautiful moments and creative showcases, fashion week is our annual reminder of what a valuable industry we hold here in Aotearoa. A quote I read recently stated that “fashion is the only art you’re legally obligated to buy”, and I loved how that sat with me. Fashion is a part of our everyday lives, whether you’re an enthusiast or not, everyone has style and self expression through what they choose to put on in the morning.
Final day started with Walk The Line, proudly presented by Whitecliffe. This showcase is an exciting opportunity for designers aged 13-18 to bring their work to the runway for the first time and have it ‘walk the line’. Run by The Y, this event isn’t just for the creatives, as the entire show is run by a crew of rangatahi. It was a smooth backstage operation, with many future backstage managers and producers emerging.
The showcase included a wide range of categories, such as High Fashion, Streetwear, Cultural Fashion, Avant Garde and Enchanted Earth. This year’s supreme winner, Arvin Rafiee, presented a well-considered entry in the Cultural Fashion category, which he also tied first place for. Rafiee’s entry featured a paisley maroon halter-neck gown, layered with a mustard yellow corset, draped with a white veil, from the model’s hair to her shoulder, across the body and finishing by draping out over the hips. Rafiee will spend time shadowing revered NZ designer, Rory William Docherty in his studio, gaining valuable mentorship and insight at such an early time in the young designer’s career. Congratulations to all young designers who entered – the future of Aotearoa fashion creatives is looking bright!
Next up was childrenswear brand, Sonnie, in their solo show. After an incredibly popular debut in 2025, this high-energy performance brought all the good vibes to the runway, in one of the final shows of the week. With performers ranging from 6 to 11 years old, the Sonnie show is always one for the whole family, with an energetic playlist that had the audience bopping along and waving flags. Primary colours made up a good portion of the runway, with backpacks and caps for accessories, paired with Asics trainers. We had dance routines, cheerleaders and a display of ball sports, finishing off with an NBA-themed finale and bang of confetti cannons.
Closing out NZFW 2026 was Viva presents Greatest Hits, a compilation of some of the greatest looks and brands that had showcased throughout the week. After a massive week backstage, I had the privilege of joining the audience in experiencing the final show, and what a joy it was. The show opened with singer, Geneva AM, in a shell wig and draped in a white dress, putting her vocals to work up and down the runway, before the models made their entrance.
We had our models boogying the length of Shed 10, a dance off in the middle of the runway, model Chelsea Pita ripping a donut in her wheelchair and cheers from the audience like we hadn’t heard all week. Presented by Viva, every look for this runway was accessorised by a special edition of Viva – tucked in blazer pockets, poking out of handbags, simply held-in-hand and even crafted into origami hats. The show closed out with Geneva’s rousing call-and-response rendition of Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi in an electronic synth-pop style. Auē!
Our creative industry is so important. Without our designers, our makers, our producers, our marketing teams, our models – there would be no fashion week. An immense effort goes into this industry year-long, and it’s special to take a week out of our lives to appreciate their work.
As we step out of the NZFW vortex and back into our everyday lives, I’m hoping we’re all feeling a little more inspired in reclaiming the joy to be found in our wardrobes.
Personally, I can’t wait for the fun to continue with the return of Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival this October 15 to 18. Creative Director Dan Ahwa will be returning to Ōtautahi with his curation of The Spring Edit, after its major success last year. We’re so excited to see this festival continue to expand, as Canterbury gets its opportunity to soak up the sartorial magic.
Mima’s fave moment: The Sonnie kids! The energy backstage was unreal from these little ones; we had cartwheels and dance-offs that had the backstage team yearning for the same level of energy, especially after such a big week!
My final note: Ngā mihi nui to the NZFW team, to Metropol and Editor, Nina Tucker. It has been a joy to share this experience with you all – bring on the Spring Fashion Festival!
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/new-zealand-fashion-week-day-6-wrap-with-mima-lewis-gourdie/