New Zealand Fashion Week held its first show on 23 October 2001, opened by the prime minister at the time, Helen Clark.

[1] In 2004, Air New Zealand replaced L'Oreal as the naming rights sponsor of the event and the new main venue was moved to the Alinghi and Team New Zealand sheds at the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland.

[1] In 2009, Air New Zealand dropped its naming rights sponsorship for the show.

[1] In 2019, NZFW moved back to the original venue at the Auckland Town Hall.

[3] Dame Pieter Stewart, founder of the event, sold it to Faroz Ali in May 2021.