Melt-in-the-mouth masterpieces

PATTERNED: Te Paea Hoori, of Wellington, models Ivy Valentine, a chocolate henna bodice body decoration. The creation took henna artist Sarah Fathima of Wellington eight hours to make.

The trick with an outfit made of chocolate is to survive the stroll from one end of the catwalk to the other.

Thankfully all the chocolate-inspired outfits for Carterton's Chocolate Fashion Show stayed intact to wow the audience on the final night of the Chocol'Art Festival on Saturday.

The 40-minute show at the Carterton Event Centre showcased the work of designers from Wairarapa and Wellington, who used chocolate and chocolate wrappers as fashion items and accessories.

Patisserie students from Petone's Wellington Institute of Technology brought several entries, including a dress made entirely of chocolate.

Model Kayleigh Horsbrugh, from Carterton, had to hold her arms at half-mast while she was wearing it.

During the meet-and-greet afterwards, designers Laurissa Joyce and Ryan Bloomfield supported her arms.

A particular eye-opener was Wellington designer Sarah Fathima's Ivy Valentine, modelled by Te Paea Hoori, featuring a chocolate henna bodice painted over her upper body, as well as a painted-on neck piece and gloves.

It took eight hours to paint.

Greytown dress designer Ellen Fowler entered Bitter sweetheart in the Chapeau Magnifique category and Shoc a rina in the Collage Chic category, as a combined hat and costume out of Schoc chocolate and wrappers.

Greytown's Schoc Chocolate owner Murray Langham said the evening was brilliant.

"I don't know how the models do it - they must keep the outfits in the fridge."

He said he has been to similar, larger events in New York.

"It's huge there, a chocolatier teams up with a big designer."

He was "pleasantly surprised" at the quality of the costumes on Saturday.

"There wasn't as many [as overseas] but the standard was brilliant, I couldn't fault it."

Te Paea Hoori, of Wellington, models Ivy Valentine, a chocolate henna bodice body decoration.

Leah Rennie, of Greytown, models 'Shoc a rina', designed by Ellen Fowler of Greytown.