In kitchens and classrooms, studios and sitting rooms across the Bay minds are ticking and fingers are getting busy – drawing, designing, stitching, raiding pantries and markets for materials.
As harvest draws to a close, once again, the Edible Fashion Awards loom large on the creative calendar.
Since its inception in 2006, the event has grown in pomp and prestige, and this year has attracted a panel of judges drawn from New Zealand's best and brightest designers, whose social conscience reflects this year's design theme of Peace, Love & Diversity.
Annah Stretton
We've all admired Annah Stretton's eye-catching outfits from the windows of her Havelock North shopfront. But there is so much more to the successful CEO and designer than fabulous frocks. Channelling the same tireless dedication with which she has built her business over the past 27 years, Stretton uses her platform for good. She was shortlisted for 2018 New Zealander of the Year for her work spearheading a number of philanthropic endeavours under the umbrella of the Stretton Foundation.
Since 2013, RAW (Reclaim Another Woman) has offered escape for women trapped in the cycle of crime and incarceration in the form of education and practical support. Three years later she formed Kia Puāwai (to blossom) – a holistic programme designed to combat the current obesity epidemic and promote a healthy lifestyle. By giving disadvantaged women a chance and a choice, they in turn become voices for change – engaging their whānau and communities to offer those at risk an alternative – a hand up, not a hand out.