It's not just the clothes creating a buzz at the fourth New Zealand Fashion Week. A 16-year-old Taupo girl making her catwalk debut has also become a talking point.

Taupo teen Karla Devine is the homegrown hot pick this year.

She's never been on the catwalk before, but that hasn't stopped her being selected for 11 shows, including Zambesi, Kate Sylvester and Helen Cherry.

"Most of it I enjoy.. it's just hair and make up that goes on forever is a boring bit, but it's not too bad.

"It's quite rushed and early starts.. but lots of fun and all the girls are really good," Devine says.

Kiwi catwalk queen Angela Dunn, who at 43 is still modelling in Europe, has watched Devine blossom.

"Gorgeous. She's lovely. Such a pretty girl and so very lovely. And really improved as well, a girl that I've really noticed getting more confident," Dunn says.

But as glamorous as fashion week may be, it is still just a trade show and Dunn believes the best models are the ones that no one actually remembers.

"Because after all everyone's coming to watch the clothes.. not the girl...and some models forget that...it's not about us. It's about the designer or the money that they're putting in to showing their collection."