A collaborative project that draws on the creativity of fashion and design students from EIT’s IDEAschool has produced some outstanding results that will be showcased at one of New Zealand’s premier fashion design awards.

The project has seen students from different creative disciplines come together to work on the eight-week project and the fruits of their labour will now be up for honours at the Hokonui Fashion Awards next month.

EIT IDEAschool Fashion lecturer Christina Rhodes says Level 6 Fashion students have been creating the designs and then working with Level 6 Design students on a photo-shoot using Level 5 Fashion students as models.

“The students have made something that is going into a competition, but it is not about the winning. It is about the experience, about seeing your garment on a catwalk at a big fashion show.”

“The collaboration between the Fashion and Design students has been fantastic and in August we will have an exhibition at IDEAschool where photos from the shoots and the garment will go up on display.” 

Anthony Chiappin, EIT’s Senior Lecturer – Design / Graphics / Illustration at IDEAschool, says it has been exciting to see IDEAschool’s fashion, visual arts, design, screen and music disciplines collaborate together.

“We’ve come together and said let’s make this happen. Everyone is working together as a team to get the best result possible, not only for the Hokonui Awards.”

Anthony says the Design students have learnt a lot about photography and art direction.

“It’s the first time that we’ve run a dedicated eight-week photography art direction aspect to the Bachelor of Creative Practice, and it has been phenomenal.”

Level 6 Fashion student Ashford Thompson relished the opportunity to work with other students across the school. 

“Not only were we able to learn new skills, but we were also able to play to our strengths to create a high-end product,” Ashford says. 

He made his alternative menswear garment, to be entered in the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards, from recycled materials. His intended customer for the outfit is someone “passionate about pushing the boundaries” of menswear, regardless of income.

Both Christina and Anthony say the IDEAschool Fashion and Design Programmes teach the students to be diverse and able to work in all areas in the arts industries.

It is what makes EIT’s students sought-after for roles in the fashion industry.