Guizhou 'Village T' show brings ethnic fashion to New Zealand Fashion Week

(ECNS) -- Guizhou “Village T”, a fashion showcase rooted in the ethnic cultures of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, made its debut at New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) in Auckland on Thursday. 

The showcase was part of CHINA NOW, a program highlighting contemporary Chinese fashion.

Guizhou brand Gu Axin presented the showcase alongside Chinese designer brand J BY HO.

Gu Axin draws on traditional embroidery, silverwork and ethnic clothing with a modern twist, while J BY HO focuses on high-end ready-to-wear. 

Launched in 2024, the“Village T” has attracted tens of thousands of participants in China, appearing at major events including China International Fashion Week.

Unlike conventional runway shows, it stages catwalks in villages, terraced fields and traditional bridges, with local residents — from children to seniors — serving as models. 

The Auckland showcase brought this distinctive form of ethnic fashion to an international audience, highlighting how Guizhou’s traditions can be reinterpreted through contemporary design.

Organizers said the event offered cultural exchange, linking China’s ethnic heritage with New Zealand’s multicultural creative scene. 

(By Helen Mo & intern Liu Shuangjing)