Three years ago Northland student Kate Stanley didn't even know how to sew -- now, she has spent three months slaving over design books and sewing machines to prepare her entry for the Northland Bernina Fashion Awards.
The 38th Northland Bernina Fashion Awards are back again tomorrow and about 60 designers have been working hard to make sure their garments are up to standard.
Miss Stanley is just one entrant who knows the effort required. With no sewing machine at home, while the Whangarei Girls' High School student prepared for the awards, the usual seven-hour school day turned into a nine-hour day and school holidays were spent in the place where few students want to be, school. "A couple of weeks before pre-judging we were here during school holidays and we'd be here til 8.30pm at school sometimes to get that final push. So it was hard, it was definitely hard not being able to do it at home."
The 17-year-old was introduced to sewing through the year 9 textiles and fashion class at school. Last year she entered the Student Evening Wear category and placed second. This year she has entered a two-piece garment into the Student Fashion Design category - a category she said was about pushing the limits of normal streetwear and everyday clothing. "It was different from last year. Making something out of the box and original was difficult but not impossible,"
She said this year's creation was inspired by English fashion designer Gareth Pugh. "Some people call [his style] cyber punk it's quite modern futuristic stuff. I liked the way he used lines the whole exoskeleton. The lines and the way he structures things, you can see in my pants."
