New Zealand Fashion Week has kicked off in Auckland and this year’s organisers say there's a particular focus on emerging talent.
The opening night party at the Viaduct was the first chance for people to 'ooh' and 'aah' over the latest trends. There were selfies, champagne and some vaguely recognisable faces.
Attendees have come from far and wide to be in Auckland for the event. Fashion blogger and Instagrammer Brooke Testoni has come over from Sydney.
"A lot of fashion friends that I have, we all look at New Zealand for inspiration, definitely," she says.
She stopped short of saying Kiwis influenced the Australians: "Oh my god you can't say that, I can't say that. Oh no, I don't know."
Whether we influence our neighbours across the ditch or not, New Zealand Fashion Week is the event of the year for the local industry.
This is the 16th New Zealand Fashion Week and organisers say this year is all about up and coming designers.
"Some of it looks really exciting and I think if they're nurtured in the right way, these designers will be able to go a long way," says Dame Pieter Stewart, New Zealand Fashion Week founder.
"It's not just about designing clothes, it's about being able to organise your business to be sustainable and actually get into the market."
Designer Sonya Elspeth Withers from Wellington is showcasing her work for the first time at Fashion Week.
"[It's] nerve-racking, yeah," she says. "Not sure what reaction we'll get, but it's exciting at the same time."
So the question remains - what are the hot picks in fashion for the season?
"A lot of chokers. Chokers have come back this year so you'll see a lot of that," says Persian model Nuha Al-Samarrae.
While fashionista Colin Mathura-Jeffree preferred military and form fit - but for our reporter, he had some special advice.
"Your fly's down," he pointed out mid-interview.
Some rules in fashion never change.
Newshub.
