Who founded New Zealand Fashion Week?

Pieter Stewart founded New Zealand Fashion Week. She established the event to create an international platform for New Zealand designers and to strengthen the country’s fashion industry.

New Zealand Fashion Week, also known as NZ Fashion Week, began in Auckland in 2001. Its programme has presented established labels, emerging talent, trade appointments and media events.

The week helped make New Zealand design more visible beyond its domestic market. Designers associated with the event have worked across fashion, footwear, accessories and textile design.

Pieter Stewart is sometimes confused with designers who showed at the event, such as Karen Walker or Trelise Cooper. Stewart’s role was as founder and organiser, not as the creator of one of the participating labels.