Untouched World pulls out of NZ Fashion Week

Media Release – September 2, 2003

Untouched World pulls out of New Zealand Fashion Week

New Zealand lifestyle fashion company Snowy Peak announced today it had pulled out of next month’s New Zealand Fashion Week because of hectic commitments.

Snow Peak’s Untouched World label was one of 50 top designers invited to the annual NZ fashion week, to be held in Auckland on October 20 to 23.

Chief executive Peri Drysdale said the Snowy Peak team had to pursue other priorities and involvement in the Asian retailers’ conference.

``We have had opportunities opening up in the last week in USA and UK for our Untouched world label in these markets,’’ she said.

``It’s with great reluctance that we have had to withdraw from L’Oreal fashion week this year. But these fresh opportunities are exciting and significant for our company.

``Our team was going to be at full stretch already with a major contingent of customers from Asia visiting the company through September, and the total company commitment to the Asian conference.

``We fully support NZ fashion week, having exhibited at the first fashion week and done a solo show last year. We will continue to back NZ fashion where and how we can.’’

Snowy Peak arranged for buyers and a Japanese wholesaler from Isetan to attend the first Fashion Week in 2001 only for it to be aborted at the last minute due to the September 11 tragedy.

Ms Drysdale said Snowy Peak, through its Untouched World label had been looking forward to being the opening show on the Monday.

Snowy Peak would always support fashion show organiser Pieter Stewart in her endeavours to promote New Zealand fashion.

Meanwhile, Snowy Peak is busy launching another world first: a new collection featuring wallaby fibre.

The company pioneered both the blending of New Zealand mohair with merino in the 1980s and possum fibre with merino in the early 1990s.

The Wallerino label has been released to the public in Australian and New Zealand stores.

``We are quite excited about our world-first wallaby, possum and merino fabric breakthrough. They are a superb garment and it is a credit to our team that they have come up with this cutting-edge product,’’ Ms Drysdale said.

``This also greatly helps the environment because again we are using a natural material that would otherwise be wasted.

``The wallaby fibre is recovered from animals that are part of government culling programmes in New Zealand and Australian because of their population explosions. Snowy Peak is interested in hearing from hunters who are culling these animals.

The 1300 delegates to the Asian retailers' conference in Christchurch will see the wallerino, merinomink and Untouched World collections at a Fashion Show during the welcome function on September 22 and at the exhibition.

Asia’s leading fashion retailer Isetans chairman Mr Kinoshita is also chairman of the Asian retailers' conference group.

Ms Drysdale will be hosting Mr Kinoshita for the duration of the conference.

Ends

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