The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show is in its seventh year
In an exciting start to 2023, Pacific Fusion Fashion Show (PFFS) is back on the events calendar, with dates for the epic event announced for 1 to 2 December.
This date marks the return of the iconic event for its seventh year, set to celebrate with a collection of Pacific-inspired high fashion garments created by New Zealand and Pacific designers.
The event will launch on Friday, 1 December with the PFFS, with a three-course meal and a pop-up shop that will enable designers and local Pacific fashion creatives to sell their Pacific-inspired goods.
On Saturday, 2 December, the event will showcase a Youth Fashion Show community event, with a focus on sustainable fashion. This concept was piloted last year by Pacific Fusion Fashion Show founder Nora Swann, who is bringing both events together for one showcase in 2023.
“One of my goals has always been to grow the Pacific fashion community, so the inclusion of the youth fashion show gives our younger generation the opportunity to participate and see what’s possible,” says Nora.
“There’s a lot of amazing local talent coming through, especially from those who are repurposing clothing, so being able to give exposure to these hard-working young people is incredibly important and to give them a taste of an environment like this.”
After launching Pacific Fusion Fashion Show in 2016 as a way to showcase creative Pasifika and Māori designers, the event continues growing in popularity year after year.
“We’re really excited about our 2023 event as we’ve already had strong interest from both local and international designers,” says Nora.
While 2020 was a tough year for many with the impact of the global pandemic, Nora and her team utilised technology to create an innovative digital version of Pacific Fusion Fashion Show that was live-streamed to a huge local and international audience.
In 2022, Pacific Fusion Fashion Show returned to the runway in South Auckland with St George Street in Papateotoe transformed into a stylish runway for the evening, also making history as the first major fashion show of the year to go ahead in 2022 and delivering the magic of a live runway show.
PFFS founder Nora Swann is also a skilled personal stylist who has created a popular Dressed in Confidence programme that’s supported by the Ministry of Social Development and empowers young Pacific and Māori women to learn positive body image and self-confidence.
PFFS designer applications will be available from mid-May.
Nora Swann. Photo: James Yang
Images supplied