From Fast to Regenerative: Redefining Fashion in Aotearoa in an Age of Speed - presented by Mindful Fashion NZ
WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST 5PM
Tuesday Club, 42 Airedale Street, Auckland CBD
DOORS 4.30PM | 5PM Start | Duration 1 hour
As the fashion industry grapples with its environmental and social impacts, a new vision is emerging, one that challenges the fast fashion model and embraces regenerative ways of working. What does it take to build a local industry ecosystem rooted in care, craft, circularity and long-term value? How can we move from intention to transformation?
This panel will bring together bold thinkers and purpose-led leaders to explore practical approaches reshaping fashion in Aotearoa. Join us to discover what’s working, what’s not, and how we can scale business systems that support people and the planet, to redefine success for the future of fashion
Peri Drysdale
Founder and CEO of Untouched World
Chair of the Untouched World Foundation
Member of the Order of the British Empire and Supreme Award Winner at the World Class New Zealander Awards, Peri Drysdale is the founder of Untouched World; the first fashion company in the world to be recognised by the United Nations for sustainability.
In February 2022 Untouched World was named one of the top 10 global sustainable fashion brands in the world, ahead of finalists Kering (Gucci owner), and Stella McCartney (previous winner). Untouched World was also awarded awarded global runner up most ethical brand in 2022 by Marie Claire UK. In 2023 Untouched World was shortlisted for the Drapers sustainable fashion Brand of the Year, and in 2025 won the Sustainability Initiative Award at the FQ Awards.
The Untouched World Foundation provides groundbreaking ‘Leadership for a Sustainable Future’ programmes for young adults, and is recognised by UNESCO as one of three global exemplars in that space.
Emily Miller-Sharma
As the General Manager of RUBY, Liam Designer, & Co-founder of Mindful Fashion NZ,Emily is at the forefront of shaping a more responsible, creative, and collaborative future for New Zealand fashion.
Ruby has recently been awarded Retailer of the Year at the FQ Awards 2025
Rory Docherty
Artist and designer Rory William Docherty creates season-less, slow fashion and is known for his meticulous attention to detail and hand-finishing techniques, his use of natural materials, and incorporating his own original artworks into his designs.
With a career that has ranged from designing farmers’ work-wear at Swandri, to working on the shop floor at Prada and Yohijo Yamamoto in London, Rory returned to New Zealand to launch his own label and debuted at New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria in 2023.
Rory is currently designing costumes for the Royal NZ Ballet’s new production of Chrysalis, and will be presenting his forthcoming collection at London Fashion Week in September 2025.
Panel MC: Michele Wilson
Michele Wilson (Tainui, Ngāti Pāoa) is the Aotearoa Manager for B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand.
Michele is the co-founder and former CEO of AWWA Period Care. Michele’s commitment to uplifting mātauranga Māori continues with her groundbreaking work on Ehoa, the world’s first indigenous period tracking app to incorporate Maramataka - the Māori lunar calendar - alongside menstrual cycle tracking. She is also leading a two-year research project exploring the societal and workplace impacts of disregarding menstrual cycles.
In her new role with B Lab AANZ, Michele is focused on nurturing and growing the AotearoaB Corp community and exploring new collaborations to accelerate systems change.
