Aucklander takes out supreme award

A FASHION design student is coming out of this year’s MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards with a lot more than she ever hoped for.

Auckland University of Technology student Sheetol Chawla was announced as the winner of the Mataura Licensing Trust Award of Excellence at the show’s gala night at the Gore Town and Country Club on Saturday.

This year’s sellout event attracted 188 entries with 258 garments, with 1300 people having attended across both Friday and Saturday nights.

Mrs Chawla said her main reason for entering was just to get more feedback on her work from those in the fashion industry.

‘‘I didn’t think it would go that far. I didn’t even dream about it. It’s an amazing feeling. I can’t even express it.’’

She had aspirations to launch her own label one day, she said.

Huffer founder Steve Dunstan, who was on the judging panel, said while it took hours to decide all the winners, Mrs Chawla’s collection clearly stood out.

‘‘Seeing it tonight and just seeing the energy of the room and the celebration of this beautiful work was touching.’’

Her garments carried a lot of meaning and integrity, Mr Dunstan said.

‘‘We were exposed to some of the narratives and that’s what I really like in a collection is the story behind it.’’

Mrs Chawla said the garments were inspired by spirituality and how that might look if it were tangible.

‘‘I named this collection Humanity Saturated in Spirituality.’’

The primarily cottonbased garments consisted of many layers and were put together utilising a variety of techniques, she said.

‘‘My concept was sustainability.’’

Mrs Chawla’s garments also won her the Mackersey Property Collections Award.

Regular participant Viv Tamblyn, of Gore, took out the Peroni Glamour Award with her red, flower patterned dress and matching face mask.

This year’s Heather Paterson QSM Memorial Trophy/Award for Best Southland Designer went to school section participant May Dyson, of Tuatapere.

The home school student entered a patterned paper dress with a gold masquerade mask, which also won her the Cardrona Distillery People’s Choice Award, a new category where the winner was decided by members of the audience.

Mr Dunstan said he was ‘‘especially blown away’’ by the school section garments.

‘‘It’s refreshing to know that we have talent coming through in this industry.’’

PHOTOS: MICHAEL CURREEN Spiritual . . . This year’s Mataura Licensing Trust Award of Excellence winner Sheetol Chawla, of Auckland, with her ‘‘Humanity Saturated in Spirituality’’ collection. The collection of layered, cottonbased garments is also this year’s Mackersey Property Collections open section winner.

Crowd favourite . . . The very first Cardrona Distillery People’s Choice Award winner is a patterned paper garment entered into the Regional Ford Glamour school section by May Dyson, of Tuatapere. She is also this year’s winner of the Heather Paterson QSM Memorial Trophy/ Award for Best Southland Designer.

Masked up . . . A garment designed by Viv Tamblyn, of Gore, won the Peroni Glamour open section.