Trio have designs on fashion show

Three Wairarapa women are planning to rock the fashion circuit in Wellington by showing off their garments at the Massey Fashion Show in November.

Victoria Green and Claire Walker, 21, and Brita Dellabarca, 22, are friends who attended Wairarapa College together before moving to the big smoke.

The trio's work will be modelled on a catwalk specially built at the Massey Campus for the event.

Miss Green's work is inspired by time she spent in New York at Cornell University, and includes ready-to-wear designs for the big city lifestyle. "Being in New York is such an overwhelming sensory experience," she said.

Miss Dellabarca specialises in leather work, using the fabric as the basis of the garment or as part of other designs to create bunched-up garments.

She said she is inspired by New Zealand artist Bill Hammond's paintings of birds.

"It's really my own interpretation of his birds, using more of the mood and imagery in his work rather than directly replicating the paintings."

Miss Walker's collection is comprised of custom-made garments lined with buckram, defined by the careful attention she has paid to embroidery work.

"I've always really enjoyed doing handwork even though it takes time."

Massey spokesman Paul Mulrooney said the event is a great opportunity to display what the girls have been working on for three years.

"Its a very diverse selection of designs that they will be modelling. Every year seems to throw up different styles of design."

The fashion show is held at the campus every year for Massey fashion graduates.

Massey show

The show will be held on November 16-17 at the Great Hall of the Museum Building on Massey Campus, Buckle St, Wellington. Start times are 8pm on the 16th and 3pm and 8pm on the 17th. Tickets are available at www.dashtickets.co.nz