Southern fashion collaboration for new Hokonui fashion award

Monday, 15 July 2024

Gala evening of fashion held in Gore on Saturday night.

Three champions of southern fashion design have combined to introduce a new award for secondary students entering the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards.

The Otago Polytechnic iD Dunedin Sustainable Excellence Award will recognise and reward excellence in sustainable fashion design at the awards, which will be held in Gore next week.

The winner will receive a cash prize of $750 and the opportunity to showcase their design on the catwalk at the iD Dunedin Fashion Show in April next year.

The award will be presented to a high school student from any section who demonstrates exceptional skill in sustainable fashion design, incorporating and discussing sustainability in their design and entry information.

“I firmly believe these types of relationships are crucial for emerging designers,” MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards convenor Jacqui McKinney said.

“Collaborations like this provide invaluable opportunities for young talent to gain exposure, receive mentorship, and showcase their work on prominent platforms.”

“By fostering connections between educational institutions and industry leaders, we can ensure a brighter, more sustainable future for the fashion industry.”

The winning entry in the Macca Lodge Upcycled School Section, and winner of the Bernina School of Excellence award, at the 2023 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards was created by Alice McGuinness of St Matthew’s Collegiate, Masterton.

Otago Polytechnic fashion professor Margaret Barton is a co-chairperson of iD Dunedin Fashion Inc and its creative director. She said fostering sustainable fashion was an important focus for iD, ”both in what is shown on the catwalk and how the event is produced”.

“I was a juror for these awards for a long period of time, and it was an experience I cherish,” Barton said.

“We’re so pleased to be supporting the awards and our future designers – it’s such a fantastic way for these two organisations that are so critical to our fashion sector to collaborate and uplift our emerging talent, especially those who have sustainability at the forefront of their creative process.”

Otago Polytechnic’s partnership with iD Dunedin Fashion dates back to its second show in 1999 and was formalised the following year with the first railway station show.

An entry from Kersha Napier of St Matthews Collegiate in Masterton won the Young Designer award at the 2023 Hokonui Fashiion Design Awards.

The tertiary education institute is the event partner for iD Fashion 2025.

Otago Polytechnic executive director Megan Pōtiki said the polytechnic had a long and proud history of supporting the fashion industry and of involvement with the Hokonui awards.

“The connection with future designers and us as educators strengthens our commitment to ensuring our graduates are sustainable practitioners.

“We look forward to seeing the incredible sustainable designs that will emerge from this exciting new award.’’

Vicki Taylor, Sammy Salsa and Natalie Newlands will judge at this year's Hokonui Fashion Design Awards in Gore.

The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards has had a record number of entries this year and will be held for the 36th time on July 26 and 27 in Gore.

Vicki Taylor of Auckland label Taylor will return as a judge this year, joined by fashion stylist Sammy Salsa and Natalie Newlands of the Queenstown studio New Lands.