Kate Sylvester

Kate Elizabeth Sylvester ONZM (born 1966 or 1967) is a New Zealand fashion designer known for combining sportswear, lingerie and traditional tailoring.

[8] Titles for her collections are often based on literary works or characters, and have included Catcher in the Rye, Love in a Cold Climate, Brighton Rock and This Charming Man, which was inspired by Marcel Proust.

Her eyewear collections have included spectacles named Sylvia (Plath), Harper (Lee), Janet (Frame) and Eleanor (Catton).

[6] Sylvester has shown collections at iD Dunedin Fashion Week, and has been a judge for its International Emerging Designer Awards.

[9] When sworn in as New Zealand prime minister in 2017, Jacinda Ardern wore a red and blue floral Kate Sylvester dress and tailored jacket.

The group is urging the New Zealand government to sponsor a garment manufacturing apprenticeship programme to fill industry skill shortages.

[12] "Having an industry body is so valuable when we were going through [the Covid pandemic] – for example, when the government was outlining the requirements for reopening [after the last lockdown] they originally stipulated no changing rooms.