Consider this your definitive guide to the unsung heroes shaping fashion’s most unforgettable moments.
Styling is the invisible force behind the scenes – crafting looks that bring magazine covers, campaigns, music videos, film, and television to life.
No longer just a supporting role, styling has become a driving power in fashion’s ever-evolving story. This list honours the stylists leading that charge – stylists who command respect, break boundaries, and define the future of New Zealand style.
Following in the footsteps of FNZ’s 2023 and 2024 Creators Power List and our 2025 PR Power Brokers list, the FNZ Stylist Power List continues our mission to spotlight the stylists & creative forces shaping Aotearoa’s cultural landscape – from behind the seams.
Dan Ahwa
IG: @danahwa
There’s a quiet charge to Dan Ahwa that recalls the kind of stylist whose power lies not in provocation but in precision. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Ahwa has, over the past two decades, emerged as one of the most influential figures in New Zealand fashion – not simply for what he styles, but for how he sees and how he nurtures it.
A Creative Director by title, and a cultural interpreter by instinct, Ahwa’s work with Viva and Canvas magazine has been less about dictating taste than decoding it. He doesn’t just dress people – he reveals them. His eye is tuned not to flash or noise but to nuance: the languid drape of a trench against a stormy Auckland skyline, the unapologetic sensuality of brown skin in bias-cut silk, the echo of Polynesian motifs through modern tailoring.
But to speak of Ahwa merely in aesthetic terms is to miss the point. His creative process is grounded in whakapapa, in ancestry and story. Born of Tongan heritage, he is part of a new vanguard of creatives redefining what it means to be Pacific – and fashionable – in Aotearoa. There’s often something quietly subversive in his work: a model’s stance evoking chiefly mana, a colour palette pulled from tapa cloth, or the casting of bodies that challenge the eurocentric gaze.
And yet, despite this cultural fluency, there’s nothing didactic or performative about his approach. His styling operates in a liminal space – where personal identity and collective memory brush against the present moment. This is perhaps why designers trust him implicitly, and why readers returned to his pages again and again during his tenure with NZME. He doesn’t shout. He listens.
In recent years, Ahwa has expanded his influence beyond the printed page. He consults (recently welcomed to the Board of NZFW 2025), he curates (he’s a Board Member of the NZ Fashion Museum with Doris de Pont), he mentors. His voice in conversations around sustainability, inclusivity, and representation is one of reason and resonance. Like the best stylists, he understands that fashion is both mirror and lens – reflecting who we are while reframing what we might become.
In a global industry obsessed with spectacle, Dan Ahwa reminds us that true style is about integrity. Not the loudest look in the room, but the one that leaves you thinking long after it’s passed.
Karen Inderbitzen-Waller
Karen Inderbitzen-Waller doesn’t shout. She doesn’t need to. Her work – spare, cinematic, deliberate – speaks volumes in the silence between the spectacle. In New Zealand’s modest but potent fashion landscape, Inderbitzen-Waller has long occupied a rarefied place: a stylist whose visual lexicon expands far beyond clothes, and a photographer whose eye lingers not on perfection, but on truth.
Raised in Auckland but always looking outward, Inderbitzen-Waller began as a stylist at a time when New Zealand fashion was still shaking off its colonial stiffness. What followed was a body of work that quietly pushed at the edges: casting not just models but characters, styling not outfits but stories. Her first editorials – in Barney McDonald and Glen Hunt’s Pavement magazine, and later in Rachael Churchward and the late Grant Fell’s Black magazine – offered a shift in tone, where fashion was less a parade and more a mood; less about what one wore, more about what one felt. It was a seminal time in the NZ fashion industry, and Karen was one of the major power brokers.
But it is behind the camera that Karen found her deepest fluency. Partnering with French-born photographer Delphine Avril Planqueel – first a creative collaborator, later her life partner – Inderbitzen-Waller’s practice evolved into something beautifully plural. Their images, often co-created under a shared vision, are thick with atmosphere: desaturated colours, cinematic shadows, and a sense of stillness that seems to extend beyond the frame.
There’s always an element of quiet defiance in Inderbitzen-Waller’s work. She does not court the algorithm. She does not chase trend. Instead, she champions the singular: models with strong noses, imperfect skin, and stories to tell. She sees styling as a kind of authorship – one that requires empathy, clarity, and discipline. Her inspirations range from Nan Goldin to Margiela, but she borrows nothing wholesale. Each reference is metabolised into something unmistakably her own.
She has styled for the greats of New Zealand design – Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester, NOM*d, Zambesi – and yet she wears her influence lightly. The images speak first. Her 2013 photo book Smoke & Mirrors was a haunting, poetic exploration of place and memory, praised internationally and acquired by the likes of Vogue Italia.
In an industry often seduced by noise, Karen Inderbitzen-Waller is a rare presence: measured, meticulous, quietly radical. She doesn’t traffic in fantasy, but in reality filtered through a poetic lens. The result is fashion that feels lived in – and images that linger like memory.
Estelle Schuler
IG: @estelle.schuler
“Sometimes, I think I was put on this planet to show others how to have a good time. I get genuinely excited about the endless possibilities this world has to offer – and I think that this excitement shines through not only in the work I do, but the people I work with as well.
Naturally, the style of my output shifts depending on the brief or the client. But when I have full creative freedom? That’s when the real magic happens. That’s when the result is undeniably Estelle-core.
What is Estelle-core, you ask? It’s layered, it’s bold, it’s full of personality. It pulls inspiration from vintage gems, Kiwi nostalgia, and those weird grails that make you stop and look twice. I love finding garments that might be overlooked by others and giving them their moment to shine.
Collaboration is a huge part of what I do. I’m passionate about working with local creatives and supporting their come-up. This year alone, I’ve worked on so many incredible projects – designing custom outfits and collaborating on one-of-a-kind garments that literally exist nowhere else in the world. Pretty cool shit.
To me, creativity isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about energy. I could put someone in the most objectively “cool” outfit, but if it doesn’t match their vibe, it’ll never hit right. That’s why I put so much focus on reading someone’s energy and crafting a look that feels like an extension of them. The goal isn’t to let the clothes wear the person – it’s to make sure each individual feels like an elevated version of themselves, so they can go forth and slay!
This year I’ve already had such a diverse group of clients, working with brands and people from all over the world. And I don’t care whether you’ve got 1 million followers on Instagram, or 100, I’m always going to do the job to the best of my ability. Because I love it!!!
I’m definitely only just getting started – there’s soooo much I want to accomplish. My brain is constantly buzzing with new ideas, dream projects, and goals I haven’t even said out loud yet lol. Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming – like, how am I meant to do all of this with only one pair of hands and 24 hours in a day? Sometimes I work 17 hours a day, and then sometimes, I drink a glass of orange wine and answer questions for articles (like right now). I really enjoy the work-life balance I’ve created for myself, and it’s nice when I get a little break – I can sit back and appreciate how far I’ve come. We should all do that more often!”
Benjamin Alexander (Benjamin Farry)
Born and raised in Massey, West Auckland, Benjamin Farry discovered early on that fashion wasn’t just a fascination – it was a calling. After high school, he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at Whitecliffe, later completing a Master of Fine Arts focused on sustainable luxury fashion featuring fully traceable fabrics and ethical production.
Under the moniker Benjamin Alexander, Farry launched his eponymous label, grounded in his commitment to “ethical luxury” – luxurious, tailored garments created without compromising social or environmental integrity. Known for his sleek silhouettes, bold proportions (especially his signature exaggerated sleeves), and intelligent design, he quickly caught industry attention.
Farry’s career reached a national spotlight in late 2018 when he entered Project Runway New Zealand, the hit reality competition on TVNZ 2. With his composed demeanor and brutal honesty, Benjamin consistently delivered standout looks. His final five-piece capsule collection impressed judges for its cohesion and intelligence, earning him the inaugural title, along with NZ$50,000, a Holden Astra, and a six-page editorial in then-Bauer Media-owned Fashion Quarterly.
Post‑win, Farry joined Bauer Media under Fashion Quarterly editor Sally‑Ann Mullin and prepared for his runway debut at New Zealand Fashion Week 2019.
Since retiring his fashion label in 2024, Farry has easily transformed his skills to fashion styling, moving between commercial and editorial jobs with ease.
Courtney Joe
IG: @courtneyjoe_
Courtney Joe is a freelance fashion stylist, writer and creative consultant based between Auckland and Sydney.
Her work is a culmination of over a decade of experience across creative direction, publishing, brand consultancy and communications within Aotearoa’s fashion industry – cutting her teeth in Karen Walker’s PR showroom, before a move to leading fashion PR agency Showroom 22, and most recently, creative director of Fashion Quarterly under the reign of Nicole Saunders, before the magazine was acquired by Sarah Murray.
Now, Courtney is most recognised for her elevated approach to creating character through clothing. Her costuming captures a sense of ease and practicality, while resonating with current fashion and cultural sensibilities.
She has collaborated with many of the industry’s leading photographers, including Derek Henderson, James K. Lowe, Holly Burgess, Apela Bell, Guy Coombes, and Olivia Kirkpatrick, and has dressed numerous recognisable faces such as Erana James, Fazerdaze, Renee Stewart, Rita Ora, and Ruby Tui.
Her styling and writing have been featured in Broadsheet, Ensemble, Fashion Journal, Fashion Quarterly, Reset Magazine (Herald on Sunday), Viva Magazine (New Zealand Herald), The Post, The Press, Stuff, and Sunday Magazine (Sunday Star-Times).
Commercially, Courtney’s eye has contributed to the visual storytelling of many local and international brands, including adidas, Boring Oat Milk, Bendon Lingerie, Bronwyn Footwear, Commercial Bay, Commoners, Florence & Fortitude, Hannah’s, Max, Mi Piaci, Partridge Jewellers, Laura Polko Hair, Pure Mama, Rebel Sport, Saben, Samsonite, Silk & Steel, Standard Issue, Tumi, and more.
Sammy Salsa
IG: @sammysalsastyle
With over a decade in the industry, Sammy Salsa has become one of New Zealand’s most influential and in-demand stylists, creative directors, and costume designers. Known for his fearless use of colour, sculptural silhouettes, and high-impact visual storytelling, Sammy’s work is immediately recognisable—equal parts thoughtful, bold, and boundary-pushing.
His styling portfolio spans an impressive range of disciplines: from glossy magazine editorials and major commercial campaigns to red carpet moments, music videos, and screen productions. He has styled some of Aotearoa’s most recognisable names and worked with leading designers and brands both locally and internationally. His work on The Panthers earned him the NZTV Best Costume Design award, further cementing his place as a visionary at the intersection of fashion and storytelling.
What truly sets Sammy apart, however, is the intention and heart behind his work. A proud advocate for diversity and inclusion, Sammy has long used his platform to uplift underrepresented voices and tell richer, more authentic stories through fashion. Whether it’s casting choices, cultural references, or who he collaborates with behind the scenes, his commitment to representation is present in every frame.
Beyond the styling credits and accolades, Sammy is deeply invested in shaping the future of fashion in Aotearoa. He mentors emerging creatives, speaks candidly about identity and belonging in the industry, and continues to push for a more expansive and inclusive vision of what fashion in New Zealand can look like.
For Sammy, styling is more than aesthetic—it’s an act of storytelling, advocacy, and personal expression. His influence continues to ripple across fashion, television, and culture, inspiring the next generation of creatives to take up space and do so boldly.
Sarah Stuart
One of Aotearoa’s most trusted names in styling, Sarah Stuart has spent over 15 years curating the looks of some of New Zealand’s most recognised faces. Her work spans red carpet events, major campaigns, editorial, and television—most notably in her former role as Head of Wardrobe at Warner Bros. Discovery, where she was responsible for dressing presenters across seven flagship current affairs and news programmes. From Samantha Hayes and Hilary Barry to Judy Bailey and Mike McRoberts, her styling has become synonymous with polished professionalism and timeless appeal. She even counts Mick Jagger among the high-profile names she’s dressed.
Her styling aesthetic balances considered tailoring, clean colour stories, and an innate understanding of what works on camera, on stage, and in real life. Whether it’s a 6pm bulletin, a glossy mag spread, or a music video, Sarah approaches every project with creative intuition and precision.
In addition to her commercial and freelance work, Sarah is a proud ambassador for Dress for Success Auckland and formally New Zealand Fashion Week 2023—roles that reflect her ongoing commitment to empowering others through fashion and supporting the industry from the inside out. She’s been recognised as a finalist for FQ Stylist of the Year and is a regular contributor at fashion panels and charity initiatives across the country.
With international experience in New York, London, Sydney, and Dubai, Sarah brings a global sensibility to her styling, all while remaining deeply rooted in the New Zealand fashion landscape. Quietly powerful and endlessly professional, she’s a force behind the scenes shaping the way Aotearoa dresses, one look at a time.
Tori Ambler
One of Aotearoa’s most refined and in-demand stylists, Tori Ambler brings over 20 years of industry experience to every project. Beginning her career as a junior fashion editor at Karen magazine back in 2004, she has since built an impressive freelance portfolio spanning editorial work for Fashion Quarterly , TV commercials, advertising campaigns, lookbooks, e‑commerce shoots, and fashion shows.
Balancing her creative life with raising twin seven-year-old boys, Tori is celebrated for her effortlessly elegant yet practical aesthetic. She gravitates toward comfortable, statement-making essentials—think wide-leg trousers, oversized shirts, structured blazers, and subtle finishing touches—that adapt seamlessly from school drop-offs to studio lighting.
Tori’s collaborative spirit shines through in her diverse body of work. She’s featured as a muse and mother’s voice in campaigns for brands like Mi Piaci and Honest Wolf, where she highlighted versatility and style-on-the-go in everyday life. Known for her warm, generous approach, she inspires both her teams and the wider creative community.
Her styling philosophy is centred on thoughtful layering, colour-driven detail, and timeless elegance that speaks without shouting. Whether working on glossy editorials, commercial shoots, or TV sets, Tori’s work always feels poised, polished, and purposeful.
A firm believer that style should serve—and simplify—real life, she proves it every day, dressing the modern woman with care, creativity, and a clear sense of self.
Chloe Hill
IG: @chloechill
Chloe Hill is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara-based stylist, fashion editor, and creative known for her joyful, colour-forward approach to dressing. With over 15 years experience in the fashion industry, Chloe has carved out a niche that celebrates individuality, sustainability, and the art of self-expression through clothing.
Her career began in Sydney, where she spent over a decade working across prominent fashion titles including InStyle and Oyster magazines. In 2017, she launched Cool Pretty Cool, an online platform dedicated to showcasing emerging talent and championing fashion.
Since returning to Aotearoa in 2020, Chloe has continued to evolve her creative practice. Alongside styling and running Cool Pretty Cool, she contributes to publications like Ensemble and Viva Magazine and collaborates with brands that align with her values of ethical production and community support. She’s also been studying te reo Māori, deepening her connection to local culture.
Chloe brings a sense of playfulness and authenticity to projects she is involved in. Her work encourages others to dress with confidence, curiosity, and a healthy disregard for fleeting trends.
Helen Young‑Loveridge
Hailing from Tāmaki Makaurau, Helen Young‑Loveridge is a stylist, vintage curator, and sustainable fashion advocate with over a decade of industry experience. Founder of Buddy, a hemp-based wardrobe basics label, and Waves Vintage, she brings a fiercely intentional eye to everything she touches.
Her expertise spans costume design, editorial styling, and retail—grounded in natural fabrics and classic forms. Helen’s passion for vintage isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about crafting meaningful, long-lasting wardrobes, and proving that sustainability runs through beautiful, everyday basics .
Other than nurturing her brands, Helen is celebrated for her unfiltered authenticity: be it sharing thrift-shopping tips or experimenting with colour and texture in her homes and images. She’s a voice for mindful consumption—championing pieces that grow more meaningful with age.
At her core, Helen is a curator of stories. Whether through hemp tees, vintage finds, or home interiors, she layers purpose, creativity, and playfulness—showing that responsible style never has to lack soul.
Lulu Wilcox
IG: @luluwilcox
Lulu has crafted an impressive career that ranges from the editorial pages of magazines to MTV’s studios, Lulu has long been known for her ability to make fashion feel both powerful and deeply personal. Trained with a formal fashion degree and a history as a Fashion Editor over Weekly Editorial publications along with her role as a Stylist for MTV Australia, Lulu combines nearly 25 years of industry expertise and editorial flair with clients — yet it is her intuitive, heart-led approach that truly sets her apart.
Lulu is a stylist for the people — not just for glossy covers or red carpets (though she does those too), but for real women in real life. Whether she’s styling a celebrity, a brand campaign, or guiding a woman to rediscover her sense of self through style, Lulu’s work is always authentic, individual, and fun.Her signature aesthetic combines elegance with vibrant prints, clever layering, and a love of colour. There’s always a little something unexpected, and her belief that fashion should be fun, expressive, and reflective of one’s essence.
Lulu is a passionate supporter of local New Zealand Designers and brands, Lulu frequently highlights emerging talent and celebrating pieces that feel unique, conscious, and connected. Her styling practice is based on helping clients feel both comfortable and powerful in their attire, ensuring they can truly engage with life rather than merely pose for photos.
Her diverse portfolio spans commercial, editorial, and private clients, and is often the first call when someone is ready to step into a new chapter of their life — whether that’s a career change, milestone event, or a transformative boost in self-assurance.
At the heart of everything Lulu does is the belief that how you feel can change everything— and fashion, when done right, can be one of the most empowering tools we have. She’s currently working on a project close to her heart that brings that philosophy to life in a new and transformative way.
Victoria Harvey
IG: @victoriaharvy
Auckland‑based stylist and designer Victoria Harvey has made her mark by bringing a touch of resort‑style elegance to ordinary wardrobes. Drawing inspiration from her own travels – particularly Mediterranean escapes – Harvey launched Journey Essentials, a collection of floaty, embroidered kaftans and summer-ready resort wear designed to elevate the everyday.
Frustrated by the lack of glamorous, lightweight layers suitable for both beach and town, she set out to create pieces that feel luxurious yet effortlessly worn. In addition to her label, Journey Essentials Limited (incorporated in October 2004, with Harvey as sole director), she’s built a practice that blurs the line between styling and design. Whether draping one of her signature kaftans over swimwear or pairing embroidered layers with tailored jeans, Harvey’s aesthetic is anchored in comfort, craftsmanship, and everyday indulgence.
Her vision isn’t just about individual pieces; it’s about lifestyle appeal. Harvey champions “resort‑style glamour down at the local beach” – that moment when a versatile garment can make you feel elevated, chic and confident without effort. Favorite designers like Helen Cherry, Zambesi, Stella McCartney and Jac + Jack influence her minimalist yet luxurious wardrobe, reflecting how she likes to dress herself – and others.
Outside design, she’s known for her warm, thoughtful approach to fashion: practical beauty tips, sensible wardrobe rules (quality T‑shirts, fine knits, well‑paired jeans), and the belief that style should suit the wearer—not the other way around.
Sonia Greenslade
As a contract stylist with a career spanning over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working across a wide spectrum of the industry from advertising campaigns and editorial features to political and public figures. Over the years, my work has supported everyone from prime ministers to celebrities, ad agencies, and national publications.
Though I’ve never maintained a social media presence, my career has been grounded in creative integrity, trust, and a deep respect for the collaborative process. Styling for me has never been about being seen it’s about shaping an image with precision, care, and subtlety. My personal motto has always been: Having individuality & staying in the background.
Aesthetically, I’ve always been drawn to clean structure, tonal balance, and clothes that reflect character rather than costume. I approach styling as a quiet but powerful language something that can reveal story and personality without shouting.
One of the projects I’m most proud of is my collaboration with fine art photographer Gui Taccetti on Inferno, a richly atmospheric series that allowed me to push creative boundaries in a deeply expressive way. Alongside that, I’ve been fortunate to take part in a number of
creative collaborations that allowed space for experimentation, texture, and emotional storytelling ,the kind of work that stays with you long after the shoot wraps.
In recent years, a knee injury has led me to scale back the kind of work I take on. While I no longer do high-volume styling, I continue to work selectively mainly in advertising bringing the same thoughtful eye and experienced hand to each brief.
Most of my recent projects are not publicly shareable, either due to client confidentiality or commercial usage rights. But the work and the legacy remains. Being part of this list is less about current visibility, and more about acknowledging a steady, considered contribution to the styling landscape in Aotearoa over the years.
Some profiles written with the help of ChatGPT.