With New Zealand Fashion Week returning after a four-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, one Kiwi fashion designer is planning to give children with disabilities a chance to shine at the event.

The event celebrates and showcases the best of New Zealand fashion, but 29-year-old designer Minxi Chen says it should be an event that leaves no one out.

“Fashion has done wonders for me, it helped grow my confidence, build inner strength and resilience,” said Chen, a graduate from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design.

 “I believe fashion can help children with special needs in the same way it has helped me, and celebrate their own individuality.”

Chen, originally from Jiangsu China, has her own clothing studio and fashion brand Cruz del Sur, and is calling her show “Canvas to Catwalk” which aims to celebrate young talent in fashion.

Fashion designer Minxi Chen with Ava Scordino,11, and Cristiano Garcia, 10. Photo / Jason Oxenham

“Cruz del Sur is founded on the belief that fashion can bring joy and creativity into the lives of children, and I hope our show at Fashion Week will provide a platform for children to showcase themselves, including those with disabilities to help them pursue their fashion aspirations,” she said.

In the lead-up to the show, six children with various disabilities from autism to cerebral palsy were invited to draw on a piece of paper.

The children were asked to draw their art based on the theme “Me, Myself, and I” and “Dreamscapes”, and from these Chen turned them into designs for the garments that she is using to sew their fashion wear.

Her collection this year is inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who is best known for her self-portraits that deal with themes such as identity and the human body.

“I design each piece specifically for each child, with a focus on their individual personalities,” she said.

“The idea of collaborating with disabled children came about because of a chance discovery. It started when I learned that a friend’s child has autism. In daily life, she is a beautiful and respectable lady, and I had no idea about her experience until the talk.

“I believe it won’t be easy for her, but she has done an exceptional job raising her son. He’s a sunshine boy now, already graduated, and is very much into different activities.”

Fashion designer Minxi Chen believes fashion can help children with disabilities build their confidence. Photo / Jason Oxenham

That gave her the idea and inspiration to combine artwork and fabric, and with the encouragement and support of this friend, led to the Canvas to Catwalk project.

She reached out to organisations that work with special needs children such as StarJam and Disable Connect, where she found the six models for the show.

“It’s really an effort to promote inclusivity and raise awareness about disabilities in society through fashion,” she said.

“For me, it has been a learning and heartwarming exercise too. After the first round of practice, the children - and even their parents who we invited to join in the runway practices - were keen to do a second round.”

Ava Scordino, 11, who has global learning difficulties and Cristiano Garcia, 10, who is autistic are among four children with disabilities who will be walking the catwalk as part of the show.

Cruz del Sur Canvas to Catwalk https://event.nzfashionweek.com/tickets/book/36bdd671-f958-4e3f-a671-f0ec65793310 will take place on Saturday, September 2 at 3.30pm with tickets priced at $45 for general admission.

New Zealand Fashion Week was traditionally a trade-only show, but its new format under new owner businessman Feroz Ali will have a more consumer-friendly focus.

Key focus areas for this year’s event include sustainability, innovation, inclusivity and digital technologies will also be a key focus.

Since its inception in 2001, the event’s goal has been to provide a launching pad for designers to grow their businesses both nationally and internationally.

NZ Fashion Week will take place between August 29 and September 2 at the Viaduct Events Centre on Auckland’s waterfront and is expected to draw an active audience of more than 25,000 attendees.