Love thy neighbour

It is a telling sign that when the Kiwis sought to bolster the ranks at this year's Air New Zealand Fashion Week (ANZFW) they turned to their closest relatives first, as Tracey McEldowney reports.

On paper it sounded like the perfect opportunity.
Having had a presence at each fashion week since its establishment, ANZFW organisers believed they were on to a winner in teaming with national promotion body Austrade to set up designer showrooms dedicated to promoting Australian designer fashion.

The planned initiative, staged for the first time this year, would see an unnamed number of emerging Australian designers offered the chance to stimulate international export opportunities via their own exhibition space at Auckland's Hilton Hotel.

Figures from New Zealand Trade & Enterprise show 72.5 per cent - or $229.12 million - of all New Zealand's apparel exports in the year to June 2007 found their way this side of the ditch.

But it was hoped with New Zealand becoming an increasing important destination to Australian design talent, particularly in light of the fact it can be used as an offshore 'test' market, the favour could be returned.

For the sum of just $NZ5062 ($A4424) each, the chosen few would be afforded the chance to tap into ANZFW's cashed-up party guests including more than 300 registered media and photographers and 700 official delegates representing at least 10 critical markets.

The plan was set in motion, the meeting rooms booked - only problem was someone forgot to tell the designers.
Despite this small blip on the usually translucent ANZFW radar, the Australian contribution to this year's event is still expected to be significant.

Buyers, media and the odd agent have all registered to be part of the September 16 to 22 event with as many as 100 expected to make the trek across the Tasman.

While David Jones and Myer representatives had not registered for the event at the time of press, independent buyers such as Maria Short of Western Australia, Jo Meisner of New South Wales and Joanne Griffin of Victoria are among those to have confirmed their presence. They will appear alongside others from Beams (Japan), Actually (Singapore), Fred Segal (US) and Top Shop (UK) in looking for New Zealand's 'next big thing'.

In all 29 high profile favourites including Trelise Cooper, Annah Stretton, Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker and Huffer will stage individual shows and 14 labels - Australian Brigid McLaughlin among them - will appear in the exhibition area.
The remainder will show off their winter collections via a series of group shows including the Fashion Design Ambassador Awards and the AUT Rookie Show, featuring the graduates from the Auckland University of Technology's Design School.

Worth an estimated $23.2 million to the New Zealand economy, this year's event also includes the requisite number of changes including an extra two days on the end of proceedings during which the general public get to taste a piece of the action.

Other elements of the six-day event include 40 season preview shoes for designers not listed on the schedule, a live catwalk show aboard a special flight from Sydney and designer selection shows comprising a selection of garments from in-season collections as well as a preview of winter 2008.

By Tracey McEldowney