The stars of TVNZ2’s long-anticipated Project Runway will fail to make the catwalk of New Zealand’s showpiece fashion event.
The first homegrown version of the reality TV juggernaut is expected to largely follow in the footsteps of international versions. But there will be one glaring change — finalists in the US version hosted by Heidi Klum walk from the set straight to New York Fashion Week. The Kiwi finalists, however, will not earn a place at Fashion Week here from August 28 to September 3. Spy understands that a clash of sponsors is partly the problem, despite TVNZ and Fashion Week organisers being willing to work together.
There is also thought to be a timing issue, with the show finishing filming before NZFW.
Timing is also an issue for Project Runway NZ host Georgia Fowler. The Victoria’s Secret model will miss Fashion Week as she has overseas modelling commitments.
The fashion industry will be hoping the names of the Project Runway NZ contestants and judges will be released well before NZFW, so they can be included in the front rows.
Details of the designers showing at this year’s Fashion Week will be launched this week. Organisers tell Spy they are very happy with the mix of new talent and household names.
Dame Trelise Cooper is back on the trade schedule and poised to deliver her biggest extravaganza, presenting two back-to-back, on-site shows.
This week NZFW organisers are hoping to confirm the attendance of two major US fashion influencers — New York sisters Natalie and Dylana Lim Suarez. Between them they pack more than 700,000 high-end followers. Natalie is a model, singer and editor of Natalie Off Duty and Dylana is a photographer and writer.
Confirmed for the International Front Row are independent Australian fashion magazine, Russh, talented Sydney-based Kiwi stylist Chloe Hill and Melbourne fashion bloggers and identical twins Bec and Marissa Karagiorgos from Twice Blessed. Key buyers David Jones and The Iconic Fashion company will be in attendance too, looking for new designers hoping to enter the lucrative fashion market across the Ditch.
Meanwhile, Project Runway is due to screen in September, a TVNZ spokeswoman said.
