Fresh fits on display at the Edible Fashion Awards 2022

Cam Lithgow, venue technician, helps model Hannah Ritchie with her Kirsten Le Bon designed outfit during the Wednesday evening Senior and Adult category Design Showcase. Photo / Paul Taylor

Some of the freshest fits are on display at the Edible Fashion Awards 2022 at the Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre Opera House this week.

A design made from 45 kgs of live, growing mushrooms, another entirely constructed from onion and garlic skins and a buzzy piece built from bee products like honey and crafted bees wax are among the competing entries.

The public show opens on Friday night at 7pm, where the winners of each category will be announced, culminating in the announcement of the top award, the Pink Lady NZ Supreme Award – Designer of the Year.

The four categories - Junior Design, Senior and Adult Design, Intermediate Design and Nurture Design - had their design showcases on Wednesday and Thursday.

Event Director Kelie Jensen said it was incredible to see the designs that came out for the competition for the first time on Wednesday and Thursday.

"It's always amazing to see the designs arrive and see the level of ingenuity and innovation that is incorporated because of the brief that they have to use- food, food packaging or edible materials."

Yana Chaplow, model and designer of this pistachio themed costume, took part in the Senior and Adult category Design Showcase. Photo / Paul Taylor

She said the award show started as a small display of designs in the town centre of Hastings and has grown into an event with close to 200 entries representing the work of almost 400 designers across all categories.

She said a People's Choice campaign will also begin next week, where the public can vote on their favourite design.

"Voting opens next week and all of the photographs will be on the website, https://ediblefashionawards.co.nz/."

There will be a design exhibition for two weeks from Monday, September 5, in the Hastings Community Art Centre on Russell St South.

Jensen said it was a great opportunity for the public to appreciate the work that has gone into the designs.

"It's quite incredible when you get to see them up close, just the level of work that is evidenced."