Air New Zealand Fashion Week’s International Network Goes From Strength To Strength 2006 VIPs among heavy hitters of international fashion world Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2006 is celebrating a VIP list of some of the most influential people in global fashion. The rundown of VIP media and buyers was released today (7 September 2006).

With CVs that list the likes of Alexander McQueen, Mischa Barton, and Kelly Osbourne as clients, these international delegates know all about what’s hot and are looking for the next big thing to hit the fashion world. One guest that will be hard to miss will be the two metre tall Jason Campbell, founder and editor-in-chief of the JCReport.

Campbell who began his fashion life working in PR for Alexander McQueen and Antonio Berardi’s US Launch is now recognised across the globe as a cutting edge trendsetter and style influencer. Providing what he calls “wardrobe therapy services” for a top client list such as The Limited and the NFL, Jason also dresses the wives of Fortune 500 businessmen and writes for American Express Centurion, Surface* and Net-a-porter.

Also coming from the US is Fashion features editor, Eviana Hartman and Assistant Editor Andie Cusick from the award winning US Nylon Magazine renowned for discovering new edgy designers from around the globe.

Managing Director Pieter Stewart says that when she and Brand Manager, Myken Stewart travelled through the US and Asia earlier this year they no longer needed to explain Air New Zealand Fashion Week to media and buyers – they already know about it. With this reputation preceding them ANZFW has confirmed that they will be hosting agents from Taiwan and Japan who will be buying on behalf of a number of stores throughout Asia as well as writing for publications that stretch from Taiwan to Dubai.

“To have agents from H3O and Keep International confirm their attendance at ANZFW is a major stepping stone for us. Being able to attract people of this calibre who can act on behalf of many stores gives our designers the opportunity to be exposed to a whole shopping area as opposed to one store”.

Asia is also a major target for Fashion Week this year as many designers have expressed that it is the next sales target area for them after Australia. Unprecedented interest from Asia has resulted in representatives from Korean TV station DongAh TV, Cosmopolitan Korea, Taiwan Vogue, Japanese Elle and for the second year Leeyong Soo from Japan Vogue confirming their attendance this year.

Other media that simply can’t leave New Zealand off their Fashion Week schedule are Sportswear International’s Christopher Blomquist who is returning for his third consecutive year and style bible Collezioni who will again be sending a representative to cover the collections, this time for their menswear edition. Buyers from exclusive US boutiques Scout, White Trash Charms, H. Lorenzo and Elizabeth Charles will also be attending along with Beams and Heathen from Japan, Actually… and Antipodean from Singapore, Sherbert from Taipei and David Jones in Australia Other media confirmed to attend include ICON Magazine from Switzerland and more than eight Australian publications including The Australian, The Sunday Telegraph, Russh and Dazed and Confused.