Hinei Chadwick models her Cult Couture entry.
EIT students Hinei Chadwick and Tessa Paaymans are delighted with their runner-up placings in two of six categories at Cult Couture – a nationwide competition held as part of Auckland’s Southside Arts Festival.
Both are from Hastings and were among 11 first-year Certificate in Fashion Apparel programme students to have entries accepted for the evening event held over Labour weekend at the Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau.
“We are absolutely stoked at their achievement,” programme coordinator Cheryl Downie says of the class and Hinei and Tessa’s success. “It’s a very big show, and for students at this level to get these results is awesome.”
Hinei, whose roots are Ngati Kahuhgunu, Ngati Maniapoto and Ngati Tuwharetoa, achieved her placing in the Obviously Organic category with a garment crafted entirely in flax. Her entry featured a tiered skirt, a woven bodice with a keyhole back and cap sleeves which were woven in place.
“I liked the category and decided I wanted to make a fashion garment using a different material,” she says. “I attended Te Kura Kaupap Maori a Ara Hou in Napier until I was 13, so I know how to work with flax and we have lots of it in the garden at home.”
Hinei reinforced the organic look by using earthy colours to dye the flax. The category winner is also from EIT. Tairawhiti student Hone Bailey is the final year of Bachelor of Maori Visual Arts studies in Gisborne. Interested in all the arts, Hone is particularly passionate about fashion and has already established his own design label.
Tessa drew on a variety of inspirations for the red-carpet gown she entered in the evening wear category, Formally Yours.
Fixated with mermaids while considering her design, she was also influenced by an Egyptian-themed show staged by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Tessa has achieved her armoured look using “scales” hand painted gold and a chainmail metal collar. The flared skirt softens the hourglass silhouette.
Although Tessa has been entering fashion design competitions for the last five years, her previous experiences didn’t encourage thoughts of success when she and Hinei attended the premier event.
“Seeing other garments modelled on the runway, I wondered whether I’d gone too weird. I was actually very surprised to be placed among the 21 entries.”
Like their classmates, Hinei and Tessa will have a local opportunity to exhibit their design and tailoring skills. The annual EIT Fashion Show, to be staged on 14 November at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House as a School of Arts and Design IS Showcase event, will include a Cult Couture section that will feature their garments.
Tessa Paaymans in the evening gown she designed for the nationwide competition.