2019 will mark the 31st anniversary of the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards - a significant achievement as the longest running fashion design awards of their type in New Zealand.

Held in Gore in late July, the awards are firmly established as a key event on the national fashion calendar and continue to attract entries and interest from throughout New Zealand. Since 1988, the awards have been a competitive platform for all amateur fashion designers to showcase their designs in front of well-regarded industry leaders. Over the previous years the judging panel has included Karen Walker, Nic Blanchet, Francis Hooper, Trelise Cooper, Kate Sylvester, Liz Findlay, Doris Du Pont and Margi Robertson (of NOM*d).

This year Hagley School of Fashion entered 20 outfits comprised of over 38 individual garments. Jerahmie Padilla entered the evening wear section with a spectacular jumpsuit and train that had 10,000 individually applied rhinestones. The designs were all designed and made from scratch, with entries in every category of the competition.

Louis Nel added to his workload by working collaboratively to realise the design of last year’s class member and winner of the 2018 street wear section, Abed Ghandour, who is currently at Otago University. Using Facebook messenger these two aspiring designers could communicate in real time, share photographs of toiles and work out the finer details of the design.

The results are as follows:

Winner Night Life………………………….Lucy Hill

Winner Young Designer Award ……….. Lucy Hill

Winner Best Use of Fabric……………....Emma Cook

Runner Up Night Life…………………….Jerahmie Padilla

Third Place Recycled…………………… Emma Cook

Merit Award……………………………….Molly Pickavance

Lucy’s dress was made of bright yellow faux fur with mauve tulle trim and an original artwork focal point. It was designed to be gender neutral; however for the Hokonui show Lucy requested a male model. She completed her outfit with custom made sponge shoes made from repurposed platforms and car wash sponges. As part of her prize Lucy will attend New Zealand Fashion Week as a delegate, rubbing shoulders with the fashion elite and gaining valuable experience. Lucy plans to study Fine Arts next year and I hope in the future she chooses to use fashion again as a vehicle for her art work.

A fantastic effort from the Fashion School who have been entering this competition for the past 11 years. Although the Fashion School has picked up major prizes in the past, this year has seen the most awards coming this way.