August 30, 2023
Māori stamp on Fashion Week part of global trend
The manager of Māori engagement at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise says the emergence of Māori fashion is part of an international movement to bring indigeneity to the fore.
New Zealand Fashion Week opened yesterday with a Kiri Nathan showcase, the first Māori designer to open the festival in its 22 year history.
Dale Stephens says NZTE has supported Ms Nathan for many years to take international opportunities that will benefit Maori fashion.
“So it’s really gratifying to see this coming through because this is an extension of who we are as a people, about our culture and what we bring for the country. We have a culture here that has been subservient for many years to what has become the norm of society and there are many ways that we can bring that back to the fore and fashion is one of those great opportunities,” he says.
More Maori designers will take the catwalk in Auckland tomorrow for the Miramoda Showcase.