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Mahurangi College students make up 15 of the 78 young designers selected for Walk the Line 2026, New Zealand Fashion Week’s youth fashion showcase, at Auckland’s Shed 10 on Saturday, August 22.
The students will compete across five categories – Avant Garde, Cultural Fashion, Enchanted Earth, High Fashion and Streetwear – after being selected from a record 108 entries submitted by teens aged 13-18 from across New Zealand.
Some 78 young designers were chosen for this year’s event, making it the largest Walk the Line showcase since the programme started.
Mahurangi College’s textiles programme is built around authentic design practice, with students designing for real clients, real projects and real purposes while gaining genuine industry experience.
Throughout the year, they develop technical garment construction skills alongside creative thinking, problem-solving and design communication.
Students are encouraged to explore their own ideas, experiment with materials and continually refine their work through feedback and reflection.
Mahurangi College Teacher in Charge of Textiles, Abbie Thalari, said having 15 students selected was a testament to the dedication and creativity they had shown throughout their time in the department.
“We’re fortunate to work alongside a range of industry and community partners, including local fashion designer
Molly Cullen and charities such as Awhi Shed. These partnerships give our students authentic experiences, whether that’s completing internships or creating garments for people experiencing homelessness,” she said.
Walk the Line is New Zealand’s largest fashion showcase for designers aged 13 to 18.
For more than a decade, it has given young creatives the opportunity to showcase their work on the runway in one of five categories while gaining first-hand experience in the fashion industry.
In addition to showcasing their designs, participants compete for the title of Supreme Designer of the Year, along with several other awards and industry opportunities.
“To have such strong representation is incredibly special because it validates the hard work of our students and reinforces that young designers from North Auckland can stand alongside students from across New Zealand. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such a creative, hardworking and supportive group of young people,” Thalari said.
