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NEW Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester has apologised to returned servicemen after being accused of insulting them by adorning models with war medals at her Sydney Fashion Week show.

One of the medals draped over a model's bare thighs was the New Zealand Operational Service Medal, which acknowledged war veterans and those outside the armed forces who served in extreme or hazardous conditions.

National secretary of Australia's Returned and Services League (RSL), Derek Robson, described the use of medals as "appalling and sickening".

After the story was given front page prominence in today's Sydney Morning Herald, Ms Sylvester issued a statement of apology.

"There was no intention of showing disrespect for returned servicemen, for whom I have the deepest amount of respect. I sincerely apologise to anyone I may have unwittingly offended," she said.

Ms Sylvester said her show, titled Royally Screwed, wasn't any kind of comment on a military theme and also included crowns, tiaras and sashes in disarray.

All of the items, including the medals, were replicas, many of which were produced especially for the runway show.

There was also some irony in the situation, Ms Sylvester said.

"While I was in Sydney over the weekend preparing for the show, my partner took our three young boys to the dawn parade in Auckland so they could start to learn about the great things these brave men did for our country."

Mr Robson said the use of medals "demeaned the whole purpose of the commemoration of Anzac Day".

"To do this so close to a day which commands such respect and dignity for all those ex-servicemen who committed their lives to others is disgraceful," he told the Herald.

"I am appalled on behalf of those who have committed so much. To do something so flippant and dismissive is unfathomable."

Ms Sylvester's show included models described as wearing dishevelled, mock-military garb draped in flags and ribbons, and dripping medals from various war campaigns.

Other medals used included the Australian Vietnam Medal, created in 1968 for those who undertook active service in South Vietnam, the United Nations Service Medal for Korea, the Crimean War Medal and the World War 2 Allied Service Medal.

Most were worn on the left-hand side of garments which traditionally denotes the wearer has served in wartime.

The show's blurb included the description: "Anachronistic, ridiculous, Machiavellian, perverse, pompous, arrogant, completely glorious."

Mr Robson said the organisers of the event should not have allowed it.

"They need to take a good hard look at themselves. It doesn't matter whether the designer is from New Zealand or not. This should never have gone on."

Ms Sylvester has cemented her reputation as one of Australasia's leading fashion designers, with her diffusion line Sylvester launched on both sides of the Tasman with great success in 2002.

Her collections have been described as having "a quirky sense of humour that belies the garments' simplicity of form".

seems a little bit of an overreaction to me...

i thought they were being abit over sensitive too but i recon she did cross the line by replicating real medals. would have been safer to design her own.

Totally agree Mukki. Using medals as an accessory is one thing, and I believe it was last a trend back in the 80s. But using real medals, that people earned either by risking their lives or actually giving them should have seemed rather obviously a faux pas.