Use of natural fibres impresses design award judges
After going through more than 200 entries for the awards, the judges said they were impressed by the calibre of ideas this year.
The two-day event started last night at the Gore Town & Country Stadium with a catwalk show of all designs. The awards will be announced tonight.
The judges this year are former Viva Magazine fashion and creative director Dan Ahwa, Natalie Newlands of Queenstown-based brand New Lands Studio, and Biddie Cooksley of Tuesday Label.
On Thursday, Mr Ahwa said it was great to see new designers using natural textiles this round, which he appreciated and which boded well for the future of the industry.
"I think we're in a state in the industry where it's so confronting to see so much synthetic fibres around and, obviously, it's ultra-fast fashion," he said.
"It's really promising for the future of the event to see designers thinking about the materials that they're using."
Ms Newlands said in judging the garments she was looking for construction, storytelling, cohesion, an overall "feeling" and something that was not overly "done".
She also appreciated the natural fibres used, particularly the use of wool and heavy linens, which she said hung beautifully with more of a focus on draping or old sewing techniques.
"It's got a bit of weight to it and that changes the form hugely rather than using a synthetic, which might be quite light and breezy," she said.
Ms Newlands said she had also seen really "practical" and "brilliant" uses of repurposed materials in a way that was refreshing.
"Instead of putting sustainable, repurposed materials into something that's quite bizarre, it's actually like, 'hey, let's wear this every day'," she said.
Ms Cooksley said the three of them had been in sync for the majority of their decisions but disagreeing and arguing over a particular design had also been fun.
Having overlapping but different perspectives had given their selections a broader view, she said.
"That makes it more objective."
"But what it comes down to is an arm wrestle at the end of the day," Mr Ahwa said.
The awards have seven general sections, four school sections and 11 special awards, each with prize money and, in some cases, a trophy and sewing machine up for grabs.
The top award of the night, the "Open Section award of excellence", boasts a $16,500 prize package.
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