Fashion design awards plan week-long celebration
Hokonui Fashion Design Awards’ organisers are planning a week-long celebration of fashion in Gore to mark its 36th year.
Entries have opened for the competition, which gives a competitive platform for all amateur fashion designers to showcase their designs in front of well-regarded industry leaders, convener Jacqui McKinney said.
“We’re planning a really exciting week with some new events with our sponsors,’’ she said.
“We’re also launching a VIP section at the awards, where attendees will have a meet and greet with the judges before the show.’’
Vicki Taylor of Auckland label Taylor will return as a judge this year, and will be joined by Pacific fashion stylist Sami Salsa and Natalie Newlands of Queenstown studio New Lands.
“We’re thrilled that Vicki is coming back because she’s such a champion of emerging designers,” McKinney said.
“Sami was awarded New Zealand Costume Designer of the Year for his work on the television series Black Panther and Natalie works with a lot of natural fibres which is a big part of our awards.
“They all bring something new to the judging panel from different perspectives.’’
Huffer’s Steve Dunstan, who judged at the awards the last two years, would return in the role of ambassador, and TVNZ’s Hilary Barry would be the compere once again.
Winning garments would also be shown at New Zealand Fashion Week - although McKinney was coy about how they would be showcased.
“We’re working on something quite special for our winners there but I can’t say too much at the moment. It’s a huge opportunity for winning designers to have their work shown at the biggest event in the country. We’re very lucky.’’
Last year’s awards were won by Otago Polytechnic design student Molly Marsh, who won the collections open section and the Mataura Licensing Trust award of excellence for her tennis-inspired collection.
Entries for the awards close on May 17 and tickets for the Strictly Design Awards and the Gala Awards evening go on sale on July 10.