Claudia Li NZFW

A Love Letter to New York

Claudia Li’s return to the New Zealand Fashion Week schedule for 2026 was always going to be one to watch. Presented off-site within the elegant surrounds of Auckland’s Northern Club, the show delivered the assured, imaginative fashion we have come to associate with the designer. For Together Journal, it was unquestionably one of the highlights of the week, and we were particularly delighted by the number of elevated pieces that lent themselves so beautifully to the worlds of bridal and occasion dressing. From sculptural silhouettes and flowing capes to statement detailing and expressive colour, there was so much here to inspire a modern wedding wardrobe.

Claudia Li’s design language has a wonderful confidence. Colour is embraced, proportions are pushed, and familiar ideas are continually reconsidered. This season, a beautiful femininity ran through the collection. Flowing capes moved effortlessly behind the models, drop waists created long, elegant lines, and exaggerated bows brought drama and softness in equal measure. Bows are a familiar Claudia Li signature, but here they felt evolved and pushed further, playing with scale and proportion in a way that made them feel fresh again.

The sleeves were another standout. Intricate detailing, embellishment and generous proportions transformed them into features in their own right, bringing volume and movement to the silhouettes. There is an art to working at this scale without allowing a garment to overwhelm the person wearing it, and Li navigates that balance with remarkable ease.

Colour, too, was exceptional. We particularly loved the softness of pale sage alongside an unapologetically bold pink and mauve, while an intricately embellished blue coat was one of those pieces that immediately commanded attention. Against the traditional interiors of the Northern Club, Li’s expressive palette, sculptural forms and contemporary point of view felt even more pronounced. The juxtaposition was striking and gave the presentation an atmosphere quite distinct from the main Fashion Week schedule.

For Together Journal, so much here spoke to the modern bridal and occasion wardrobe. The flowing capes, statement sleeves, drop-waisted silhouettes and more elevated pieces could move beautifully into a wedding setting, particularly for a bride who wants fashion to lead rather than convention. Beyond the ceremony, we could see these pieces inhabiting the entire wedding wardrobe, from welcome celebrations and rehearsal dinners through to receptions and the events surrounding the wedding itself. Equally, the collection offered exciting possibilities for bridesmaids, wedding guests and those with occasions looking for something sophisticated but far from predictable.

What we perhaps loved most was the sense that these were not pieces designed simply for a moment. There is a collectability to Claudia Li’s work. These are garments you can imagine investing in, keeping and returning to over many years. The strength of the silhouettes and the individuality of the detailing give them a life beyond a single season or occasion; the kind of special pieces that become part of the story of a wardrobe.

This is where Li continues to excel. Her work can be bold without losing refinement, feminine without becoming overly delicate, and dramatic while remaining beautifully considered. Volume, colour, embellishment and movement all coexist within a design language that is unmistakably her own.

Claudia Li has built an international reputation through precisely this kind of approach to fashion, and her 2026 NZFW presentation was another reminder of why she remains such a respected designer on a global scale. We feel incredibly fortunate to have such a celebrated international designer back home in New Zealand, continuing to evolve and share her distinctive creative vision.

Beauty Direction

The beauty direction complemented the collection beautifully. Skin was kept fresh, luminous and glowing, with an iridescent highlighter illuminating the high points of the cheekbones and a a flush of blush swept across the mid-cheek. The result felt fresh and directional, with light playing beautifully across the skin as the models moved through the show. Raeso Skin and Partridge Jewellers supported the presentation, with the jewellery adding another layer of polish to Claudia Li’s expressive runway looks.

For the Together Journal team, this was a favourite show of NZFW 2026: sophisticated, expressive and full of pieces we would happily treasure in our wardrobes for years to come. And we feel extremely fortunate to have Claudia Li back in New Zealand.