Wellington, March 8 NZPA - An annual fashion festival featuring top local designer brands and targeted at consumers will be launched with an inaugural show next week.

The New Zealand Fashion Festival, run by Fashion Week organisers Pieter and Myken Stewart, would launch with 17 leading brands on March 16.

The festival was modelled on the Melbourne Fashion Festival and aimed at consumers, who would be able to go to stores and purchase the stock the next day, spokesman Paul Blomfield said.

Brands featured included Adrian Hailwood, Kate Sylvester, Huffer, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Trelise Cooper and Zambesi.

A 50-metre runway -- 20 metres longer than the runway at Fashion Week -- would be set up in Shed 12 on Auckland's Wellesley Street for the festival.

The show would feature 40 models.

The schedule of events would grow in future years, Myken Stewart said.

"Next year we plan to have a long list of attractions -- shows, parties, exhibitions and even an international business seminar."