Edible fashion entries a feast for the eyes

Coffee beans, lollies and the naming sponsors' distinctive yellow shopping bags took on a "fantastical" new life at the 2016 Hastings Pak'nSave Edible Fashion Awards.

Imaginations ran wild in preparation for Saturday's annual event, where a record number of entrants of all ages presented judges with their fantastical-themed costumes all made from edible materials, food packaging, or imitation food.

Organiser Odette Bowyer said the quality of costumes this year was "absolutely phenomenal".

She said she was blown away by entrants' creativity and use of materials, and was impressed that some had begun preparing up to six months ago, with others travelling to the region to take part.

After a day of show-stopping creations, finalists across the seven categories were announced at the Evening Extravaganza, with each winner then judged for the title of Designer of the Year accolade.

With a record number of entries for the 2016 awards, judges described selecting the winners as a "very difficult decision".

On the panel were former World of Wearable Arts winner Kate Mackenzie as lead judge, model and television personality Colin Mathura-Jeffree, and Kilt founder Melissa Williams.

The winning entry, Bride of the Black Knight, was constructed from Black Knight liquorice and yellow shopping bags and praised for its structure, the way it adorned the human body and its colour palette of yellow, black and white.

Model Brooke Way, wearing the edible awards' winning entry Bride of the Black Knight. Photo / Duncan Brown

Receiving more than $4000 in prize money, designer Darrell Woodward told the 600-strong crowd she had been inspired to enter by watching the 2015 show.

"This time last year, I sat in the audience and thought' Next year, I'm going to give it a go'," she said.

The runner-up creation, Macaroni Madness, was judged to be "another strikingly simple and structured design", inspired by designer Christine Fawzy's Egyptian heritage.

A new award for 2016, The Unio Goldsmith & Gallery Jewellery and Accessory Award, was presented to Annabel McCallum and Libby Spooner for their whimsical creation 'Horton packs his trunk'. Mr Mathura-Jeffree presented The Top Model Award to Maddison Kaye and promised to organise a portfolio shoot for the young model.

In their final year as naming sponsor of the event, Pak'nSave's yellow shopping bags featured strongly on stage. Hastings Arts and Cultures Trust chairwoman Sandra Hazlehurst thanked them for their 10-year association with the awards and praised them for their "direction, vision and belief in the event".

"There will always be yellow Pak'nSave bags in the Edible Fashion Awards," she said.