Highlights from the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival
Missed the Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival? We have you covered. Senior editor Anna Lee was on the ground reporting from Ōtautahi, taking in the action from the FROW to backstage.
Backstage at The New Guard. Photo: Meg Stuthridge.As spring flowers emerged across Ōtautahi, the city made its own seasonal statement. Returning for its second year after its landmark debut in 2025, Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival (CSFF) brought the city’s stylish set to state-of-the-art Te Pae convention centre for four days of runway shows, designer showcases and immersive experiences.
The festival officially opened on Thursday night with speeches by Christchurch Deputy Mayor Victoria Henstock and New Zealand Fashion Week executive director Liam Taylor, setting the scene for a celebration of independent labels and the creative talent shaping New Zealand style. From fresh perspectives on the runway to sporting heritage and philanthropy, here are four highlights from this year’s programme.
Backstage at The New Guard. Photo: Meg Stuthridge.THE NEW GUARD
The next wave of New Zealand fashion took the spotlight at The New Guard, which opened CSFF with a showcase of 12 designers. From Rhoda Nunn and Paris Georgia to Marle, Harris Tapper and Beach Brains, the line-up brought together established independent labels and emerging creative voices, offering a glimpse of the breadth of contemporary New Zealand fashion. Geneva AM opened and closed the show with live performances.
Photos: Backstage at The New Guard, Meg Stuthridge.
IN MOTON
Marking 100 years of sporting connection between New Zealand and India, In Motion brought together fashion and athletic heritage in a concept show developed with Sport NZ. New Zealand Fashion Week creative director Dan Ahwa curated vintage sporting pieces spanning cricket, rugby union and netball, exploring the sport's influence on fashion through technical fabrics, silhouettes and function. Vintage specialist Duncan Wood of Boomfa Vintage supplied archival jerseys and kit, and walked the runway alongside Black Cap Ish Sodhi, and White Fern and sports commentator Frankie Mackay. The celebration continued following the final look with a panel discussion featuring Sodhi, Wood and Mackay, hosted by media presenter and sports journalist Nicky Styris.
Photos: Backstage at In Motion, Meg Stuthridge.
FASHION FOR A CURE
Fashion met philanthropy at Breast Cancer Cure’s Fashion for a Cure, a gala-style showcase bringing 23 local labels together on Friday night. Hosted by podcaster and BCC ambassador Petra Bagust, and leading stylist Sammy Salsa, the evening included a four-part runway show, a three-course dinner and a live auction, alongside an address from University of Otago breast cancer researcher Professor Logan Walker. By the evening’s end, more than $136,000 had been raised to support the future of breast cancer research.
Photos: Fashion For a Cure runway show, Harriet Carter.
BEYOND THE RUNWAY
The festival experience extended beyond the shows, with The Garden City’s leading dining and drinking spots offering plenty to enjoy before, between and after the main events. At Rambler, pre-show drinks came with espresso martinis, bubbles, shaker fries dusted with smoked paprika and served with aioli, and seared brie with chilli relish. For dinner, Roca served sourdough flatbread with za’atar and extra-virgin olive oil, market fish crudo with saffron vinaigrette and burnt mandarin, and confit potato latkes. Nearby, Miro, housed in a 1930s heritage building and included in the inaugural 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection, offered a fitting spot for a nightcap.
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