When it comes to fashion’s ultimate roll call, few lists carry quite the weight of The BoF 500.
Curated by The Business of Fashion, the annual index recognises the people shaping the global fashion industry – from designers and models to executives, entrepreneurs, creatives and media figures. With the 2026 class now revealed, one of this year’s honourees is New Zealand-born designer Hannah Rose Dalton.
Dalton is the co-founder of boundary-pushing label Matières Fécales, which she founded alongside her creative and life partner, Steven Raj Bhaskaran.
Formerly known as Fecal Matter – yes, you read that right – the Montreal-based label has built a cult following for its wonderfully warped take on fashion and beauty. Think sculptural silhouettes, extreme footwear, surreal styling and an aesthetic that sits somewhere between fashion, performance and fantasy. What began as an underground, internet-born project has since evolved into a label appearing on the Paris fashion calendar and attracting some of the industry’s biggest names.
Most recently, the duo designed model Gabbriette’s Victorian-inspired wedding dress and dressed Zendaya for the New York premiere of The Odyssey, adding two major fashion moments to an already unconventional portfolio.
Dalton’s inclusion feels like a fitting recognition for a designer who has consistently challenged conventional ideas of beauty, identity and self-expression. Rather than playing by fashion’s traditional rulebook, Matières Fécales has created a world entirely its own – one defined by transformation, individuality and an embrace of the unexpected.
But New Zealand’s presence on the BoF 500 is not new. Karen Walker was part of the inaugural 2013 class, cementing her status as one of the country’s most successful fashion exports. Her playful approach to design, jewellery and eyewear has since built a devoted international following.
Since then, it has continued to recognise a growing roster of Kiwi talent. Auckland-born fashion journalist and critic Tim Blanks has brought his distinctive voice to the global fashion conversation, while Miromoda co-founder Ata Te Kanawa was recognised in 2022 for her work championing Māori and Pasifika designers and raising the profile of Indigenous fashion internationally. In 2024, New Zealand-Taiwanese fashion publicist Gia Kuan joined the list after making her mark on New York’s independent fashion scene.
Together, these names offer a compelling snapshot of Aotearoa’s place in the global fashion landscape. There’s no single Kiwi formula – our creative footprint stretches from jewellery and design to journalism, communications and Indigenous fashion. What connects them is a distinctive point of view and a willingness to forge their own path.
The post A Kiwi has landed a spot on the BoF 500 for 2026 – here’s who appeared first on FashioNZ.
