AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND, 18 August 2026 – As Auckland watches while two of the year’s highly anticipated moments unfold – the opening of the City Rail Link (CRL) and New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria – Auckland Transport and Thompson Spencer have brought New Zealand Fashion Week’s 25th anniversary theme, ‘Auckland in Style. Tāmaki Makaurau in Motion’ to Auckland’s newest train stations, transforming them into the city’s latest runway.
Launched to coincide with New Zealand Fashion Week, the campaign follows models transforming from everyday commuters into runway-ready icons as they move through Te Waihorotiu Station, aboard a train, through Waitematā Station and on to Shed 10 (home of New Zealand Fashion Week) in a series of short films for YouTube, Meta and TikTok.
The campaign positions public transport as a convenient and stylish way to move around the city, while showcasing the striking architectural beauty of the new Te Waihorotiu station, while building on the broader CRL campaign’s idea that the new network gives Aucklanders a gift of time through faster, easier and more connected journeys.
For Thompson Spencer Group CEO Melanie Spencer, this one is personal.
“This campaign actually began with a conversation Anna Lawrence from Auckland Transport and I had a couple of years ago – one of those ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if…’ moments. To see that idea become reality, just as both New Zealand Fashion Week and the City Rail Link enter exciting new chapters, is incredibly special.
“The City Rail Link is about so much more than getting from A to B – it’s about connecting people to the best of Auckland. The train is for everyone, whether you’re heading to work, meeting friends, or stepping out in your best for one of the city’s biggest events. We wanted to show Auckland in style, and Auckland as a city in style.”
Launching across Auckland Transport’s social channels, the campaign has a particular focus on changing the perceptions surrounding public transport, presenting it as something Aucklanders can be proud of while highlighting the City Rail Link as an essential part of the city’s future.
Anna Lawrence, GM Marketing & Media Partnerships at Auckland Transport, says the collaboration demonstrates how the City Rail Link will connect Aucklanders with the city’s events and entertainment calendar.
“The City Rail Link will transform how people move around the city. Partnering with New Zealand Fashion Week lets us celebrate one of Auckland’s most exciting events while giving Aucklanders an early look inside the CRL and the stunning new Te Waihorotiu Station. Most importantly, this campaign shows what’s possible when the city becomes more connected.”
Bringing the collaboration to life are New Zealand models Hannah Watene, Han Hoheisel, Banke Moss, Paige Downard, Monique Haywood and David Miller, wearing pieces from some of Aotearoa’s leading designers and brands, including Liz Mitchell, Zambesi, Porter James, Taylor Boutique, Juliette Hogan, Kevin Thorne, Paris Georgia, Harris Tapper, Oosterom and Deadly Ponies. The collaboration pairs the strength and creativity of New Zealand fashion with Auckland’s most significant infrastructure project since the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened in 1959.
Dan Ahwa, Creative Director of New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria, says fashion has always belonged in the heart of the city.
“Fashion Week is ultimately about creativity, self-expression and bringing people together. The City Rail Link will make it easier for more people to experience that. Seeing our designers and models transform these incredible new stations into a runway felt like a natural way to celebrate both Auckland’s creative spirit and the future of how we move around it.”
As Auckland prepares to welcome both New Zealand Fashion Week and the opening of the City Rail Link, the campaign offers a glimpse of what’s to come: Auckland, a city in style.
