Five young emerging Māori fashion designers were among seventeen debutant designers who showcased their unique creations this afternoon on the Resene Designer Runway. The fashion industry has gathered in Auckland to indulge in a week of pure fashion.
For many of these students, designing their way to the catwalk has been a dream come true.
Georgia Harmon-Hohua, (Whakaorioari) says, "This is an important time for us, where we get to showcase, to improve our skills as well as show who we are through our clothes and our designs."
Designer: Georgia Harmon-Hohua
It is also a pathway Michelle Israelson, (Ngāti Apa) says she took to try something new and different.
"I was sick of working in an office and I needed a change of plans so I went to a fashion show and thought 'that's what I want to do' and here I am."
Designer: Michelle Israelson.
However, for Terrell Henry (Ngāpuhi), it hasn't always been a walk in the park.
"I copped a bit of flack from all my friends being like 'why ain't you playing sports or footy' and then eventually once they figure out you're actually good at sewing ... I guess once you start receiving that kind of feedback you're like 'maybe I can do something with it'.
Designer: Terrell Henry
With the many ups in the fashion industry also come the downs.
"Within New Zealand it's very small so it's very limited in terms of your options but going to India was a great opportunity to expand our perspective and see how much else is out there," says Eva Martin, (Tainui).
Designer: Eva Martin
These designers believe this could be the start of their career.
"Definitely the beginning, will definitely invest into it more as the years go on," says Henry.
"You need to practice every day just to keep that skill going," adds Israelson.
NZ Fashion Week ends on Sunday and these students could be featuring in many more fashion shows in the near future.