Behind the Scenes with Kiri Nathan Ahead of NZ Fashion Week
Te Whānau o Waipareira is proud to support Kiri Nathan and the Kāhui Collective Runway show at this year's NZ Fashion Week Kahuria 2026. Ahead of the show, representatives from our Executive team, Awerangi Tamihere and Brad Norman, met with Kiri Nathan and her team for kōrero, a tour of her showroom, and the presentation of a blanket produced in collaboration with Noa Blankets as part of the Social Value "No Blanket Value" campaign.
This year marks 25 years of NZ Fashion Week. Kiri (Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Maru, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine) has been part of its history since 2009, when she debuted after winning the inaugural Miromoda Emerging Designer award. In 2023, she became the first Māori designer to open the event, and this year her Kāhui Collective has expanded to 40 indigenous designers, with the runway bringing together global voices from Alaska to Aotearoa.
Auckland is host to a global celebration of indigenous fashion and creativity as part of NZ Fashion Week Kahuria 2026, an initiative designed to support creatives in developing new networks, skills and business opportunities. At its centre are the Kāhui Collective Runway and the inaugural New Zealand Indigenous Fashion Symposium, both showcasing indigenous design excellence. Participants included Māori and Pasifika models, as well as applicants from Sri Lanka, Congo, and Africa and whaikaha models seeking to walk the runway.
This occasion represents a significant moment for Māori and indigenous creativity on the main stage of Aotearoa's largest fashion week. Te Whānau o Waipareira is proud to support this kaupapa and looks forward to continued involvement in the future.