NZ Fashion This Month: New Stores, Bold Campaigns and Industry Milestones
October has been a big month for the New Zealand fashion industry - from new store openings and standout campaigns to powerful creative collaborations and the return of one of the country's most anticipated fashion events. Whether it's a beloved label finally putting down physical roots, a fresh face fronting a summer campaign, or the industry coming together for a cause, there's plenty to catch up on. Here's our round-up of what's been happening across NZ fashion this month.
Marle Galerie, Osborne Lane, Newmarket
Marle Opens Its First Store
Eleven years after launching, Auckland womenswear label Marle has opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in Newmarket — and introduced its first-ever menswear collection, inspired by founder Juliet Souter's husband. The space doubles as a gallery, with Marle partnering with Lett Thomas to display work from contemporary female artists alongside the clothing and homeware. Souter has described wholesale as becoming increasingly difficult, with several stockists closing in Auckland, making the new store a strategic move toward a more direct relationship with customers.
Riley Hemson for RUBY Resort ‘26
Ruby's Resort '26 Campaign, Starring Riley Hemson
RUBY has reunited with model Riley Hemson for its Resort '26 campaign, marking her second year fronting the label's summer collection. This time the shoot moved across the Tasman to Sydney's Wylie's Baths, photographed by Apela Bell. The collection, launching 8 October, leans into easy summer dressing - think lace-edged swimwear, ruffled dresses and wear-anywhere separates designed for days that roll into evening.
Auckland artist Sarah Jayne Kavali
The Dressing Room - A Monumental Tribute for Breast Cancer Cure
Auckland artist Sarah Jayne Kavali has unveiled The Dressing Room, an immersive installation running 1–5 October at Auckland's New Zealand International Convention Centre, as part of Breast Cancer Cure's Tees for a Cure campaign. Standing almost 24 metres long and five metres high, the three-storey structure features 26 individually designed rooms from some of New Zealand's leading fashion names, including Karen Walker, Zambesi and Kathryn Wilson. The installation explores identity, restoration and the role clothing plays in helping people reconnect with themselves.
Backstage at the CSFF 2025
Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival Returns
Christchurch Spring Fashion Festival (CSFF) is back from 15–18 October, taking over Te Pae convention centre for four days of runway shows and presentations. The programme includes The New Guard, featuring Harris Tapper, REBE, Rhoda Nunn and Awatea; The Spring Edit, with Caitlin Crisp, Kathryn Wilson and Juliette Hogan; In Motion, marking 100 years of sporting unity between New Zealand and India; and Breast Cancer Cure's Fashion for a Cure, bringing together 22 Aotearoa designers for an evening of fashion, dining and fundraising.
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