Wellington’s City Gallery reopens its doors with fashion and design event
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi will reopen its doors to the public for the first time in more than two years this June, hosting a three‑day fashion and design event that organisers hope will evolve into a national biennial.
Common Material brings together four of Wellington’s most established fashion labels — Yu Mei, JPALM, Kowtow and twenty‑seven names — for exhibitions, runway shows and talks. While fashion anchors the inaugural programme, its founders say the long‑term vision is far broader.
The event has been conceived as the first step toward a Wellington Biennial that would eventually draw in furniture designers, typographers, architects, jewellers, ceramicists and other creative practitioners, reflecting the full scope of the capital’s design community.
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A central exhibition will present garments, materials and archival work from each label, exploring production, craft and the realities of making fashion in Aotearoa. Ticketed runway shows and conversations will offer audiences multiple entry points, from behind‑the‑scenes insights to finished collections.
Common Material is led by an interest group representing the four labels, headed by Jessie Wong (Yu Mei) and Charlotte Davy (City Gallery Wellington), with art direction by Seb McLauchlan and Johannes Bay and spatial design by Cheshire Architects. The event is presented in partnership with City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi.
Wong said Common Material was born via conversations between herself and other designers, discussing what made Wellington such a fantastic place to live, work, and build creative businesses in.
“We haven't had our incredible buildings like Central Library, City Gallery, the Town hall, the Rotunda, in play for the last few years,” Wong said.
“I just love Wellington, and it feels like with the city getting these buildings back, it was the moment to stay on the ground and do something that would help to build creative industry in Wellington and really lay our claim to the creative capital of Aotearoa.”
The show wasn’t simply about fashion, Wong said. Yu Mei and Wellington designer Gerard Dombroski had collaborated on 100 sculptural hydroformed steel stools together, which would provide seating and were available to purchase.
“It's all about designers, and not just fashion,” Wong said.
With Yu Mei’s store on Victoria St near Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Wellington Central Library, the designer said she and her staff have had a first-hand view of the work the city underwent over the past few years.
She and other retailers in the Civic Precinct area had worked hard around the Central Library’s reopening, and had seen an uplift in foot traffic since, she said.
In Wellington, fashion designers had a lot of integrity in their process, Wong said. Yu Mei, Kowtow, twenty-seven names and JPalm all placed effort into the craft and process of their clothing and accessories.
“I think we all have this relationship to the city and to the people that live here. We just want to bring the energy, and write a bit of a love letter back to everybody that has a hand in doing what we do.
“I think that's something that will really be brought to life through Common Material … This is really a kind of a look behind the scenes, everything that goes into these brands.”
Wellington fashion had a pared-back point of view, she said, mixing designed pieces with a little bit of vintage.
In her own collection, Wong owned some lovely JPalm pieces, she said, and was currently wearing a Yu Mei bag.
“We really kind of have a slow approach to a wardrobe and consider pieces that will last a long time.”
City Gallery had been incredibly accommodating, Wong said, opening up their doors to partner with them, and Davy had been extremely generous.
“She really sees the City Gallery as the home and the platform for contemporary art.”
There were a few other young designers bubbling up at the moment, she said ‒ something that Common Material acknowledged, as designers were encouraged to bring new blood as their plus ones to the event.
All the brands showcased in the event could be said to be success stories, Wong said, with Kowtow and twenty-seven names both celebrating their 20 year anniversaries.
“It's certainly no mean feat, especially over the last six or seven years through Covid and everything else.”
Wong says the ambition is to build something that grows well beyond fashion.
For Davy, the reopening of the gallery’s transformed building marks the right moment to bring the city’s creative community back together.
“City Gallery Wellington is the centre of our city’s arts community. We’re throwing open our doors for a moment to welcome Wellington back into our space and celebrate this remarkably talented group of fashion designers who have grit and determination and have chosen to base themselves in our city. There are so many creative fingerprints on this project, and the gallery is the vessel that holds everyone in place.”
Runway shows presented by JPALM, Twenty Seven Names and Yu Mei are $99; talks are $39. Tickets and info: www.commonmaterial.co.nz Entry to the central exhibition is free.
Gallery prepares for major Cornelia Parker exhibition
Following Common Material, City Gallery Wellington will close again to install its reopening exhibition, Cornelia Parker, a major survey of one of the most influential artists of the 21st century. Known for large‑scale installations exploring destruction, reconstruction and transformation, Parker’s works have been drawn from collections across Europe and the United States.
Cornelia Parker runs October 10 to March 7, 2027. Tickets: ticketmaster