Future of Fashion – Zoe Langley's NZFW Debut
WEB EXCLUSIVE | ARTS & CULTURE
Written by Azzurra Snelgrove-Douch (she/her) | @azzurrasnelgrove | Contributing Writer
For Zoe Langley, getting dressed is more than just garments; it’s an opportunity to construct identity. Drawing on romanticism and urban glamour, she explores the shifting relationship between power, sexuality and identity to create a new visual language for the runways of Te Wiki Ahua o Aotearoa and New Zealand Fashion Week.
At just 21 years old, Langley has already made her NZFW debut, featuring as one of eight designers in the recent ‘Future of Fashion’ collective. It’s a significant milestone for someone at the beginning of her career, and one she hadn’t expected so early on.
She credits much of her success to the work of other creatives, particularly the recent surge of creative initiatives and art movements. This includes Te Wiki Ahua o Aotearoa, Karangahape Road’s ‘underground’ fashion week, born in 2024 out of a desire for more inclusive creative spaces. These initiatives provide a space for raw creativity and inclusivity, allowing young creatives to emerge and find their place within the industry. “For many, myself included, platforms like Ahua have provided direct experience and exposure to industry, which led to recognition from NZFW”, she says.
This unconventional start is very much on brand with her designs, as she explores subversive themes which challenge societal norms and dress codes. For Langley, the design process rarely follows a set pattern, coming instead from a key feeling, usually an interpersonal dynamic. Her recent Ahua collection (AW26), for example, was centred on holding onto what has passed, through themes of imperfection and the memory of romance. Silhouettes which feel familiar yet unsettling are a way to encourage the wearer to reconsider what clothing can communicate. She imbues this with political drive, taking inspiration from fellow subversive designers such as Gareth Pugh and Olivier Theyskens, balancing gothic romanticism with creative edge.
The image of ‘city lights and underground nightclubs’, a messy yet luxurious lifestyle, surrounds the aesthetic of much of her work. ‘Big city glamour’, having relocated from Christchurch to Auckland, is a key influence. Underneath this glamour lies a more personal significance; her favourite piece, a silk dress made for a first year assignment, pays direct homage to her grandfather’s work on Christchurch Cathedral. Inspired by his stained glass work, it honours his final creative output before his passing. It also preserves what has been lost; the cathedral known by Langley is not the same known by her grandfather. Though the rubble has cleared, it now stands in a state of half-preservation, reflecting the aftermath of the 2011 earthquakes. The silk dress, for Langley, captures this feeling of a fallen landmark: loss and reinvention. It has followed her throughout the early stages of her career; included in her first Ahua show, which earned her public exposure for the first time, as well as her NZFW debut, where it was printed in the newspaper.
This appreciation for craftsmanship extends to her own approach to design, particularly her use of textiles. Textile offers an opportunity to combine multiple creative aspects into one project, something she hopes to continue to pursue through experimentation. Her current collection features extensive handbeading, a process which has taken hours upon hours (50+ hours already, and not even close to done!). This painstaking process has encouraged further appreciation for manual and artisanal work, particularly in a modern age which stresses instant gratification.
For Langley, individual style is a way to outwardly reflect personal essence, and represent one’s ‘inner world’. Fashion, after all, is all about reinvention, creativity, and experimentation. She’s subconsciously ended up with a ‘character’ that she designs for; both herself and an experimental alter ego. This character is not defined by gender or societal norms, rather she’s punk, contemporary, but ultimately romantic. This is not to say that Langley’s designs are limited to a specific identity; she stresses that her brand’s core value is inclusivity. For her, this can come across as a contradiction at times, discouraging her from taking on an imaginary muse due to the risk of exclusion. As she states: “Any gender, any age, and any body type is the kind of person that could wear my designs.” This consideration has also been prominent in her initial hesitation to launch a collection, as she seeks to incorporate inclusivity as much as possible, while being restricted to practical limitations.
These learning curves have taught her the importance of ‘taking the leap’, even in the face of uncertainty. Her advice to young creatives is to embrace this: “Trusting that you don’t need to feel completely ready, and that you will learn and grow through experience is the reason to do it!” As she expresses, the nature of sharing your ideas with the world can feel “incredibly vulnerable” and encourage self-criticism. Despite this, take more risks: put yourself in an environment that pushes you, and remember that you are in the room to begin with. Her biggest lesson has been trusting herself and allowing her work into the world without fear of judgement.
Simply knowing that the only way to move is forward is sometimes all you need. Forward, for Langley, comes in the form of an upcoming debut collection, which will be released late this year. Her graduation from AUT signals a shift in her career; previous designs have been balanced alongside full-time coursework and two jobs. It’s an exciting new chapter and an opportunity to focus solely on design, with endless possibilities. The collection will revisit familiar themes from previous designs, refined into slightly cleaner cuts with higher quality materials. It has been a labour of love; material sourcing to align with values of ethics and sustainability has been a main priority. The collection will be locally produced, with a strong commitment to New Zealand made fashion.
Find out more about Zoe Langley on Instagram @langley.nz or on her new website:
(Special thanks to Michael and Dexter for their help with this interview!)
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