Entries encouraged for WoolOn Fashion Awards

Victoria Ravenscroft

Otago designers are being encouraged to start their creations for this year's WoolOn Fashion Awards, as the dates for the annual event are announced.

This year's WoolOn would be held on August 30-31 and more information would be available for designers soon, WoolOn chairwoman Victoria Ravenscroft said.

Ms Ravenscroft hoped designers would already have ideas for garments and encouraged both experienced and new designers to enter.

She also emphasised new designers did not need to be "young" designers.

Anyone considering entering, regardless of their age, was encouraged to do so.

For her first term as WoolOn chairwoman, Ms Ravenscroft was working with the committee to "tease" out what had been done well for previous events and "let go" of "some of the stuff that hadn't worked as well".

But designers would be "centre stage" in the planning and execution of this year's event.

Information from designers who gave feedback through a survey last year was being analysed, more feedback from designers was being sought, a design subcommittee was already operating for this year's event, and it was hoped eventually there might be a designer on the committee.

Ms Ravenscroft also wants to lift the event's educational focus, including holding some workshops for potential designers and making online videos of "tuition and inspiration".

The design subcommittee was setting up a blog, including an educational component for designers.

More volunteers for a "Friends of WoolOn" event were also being sought. This group would help with things needed by sub-committees, or by doing things such as helping backstage during the event, Ms Ravenscroft said.

- Designer feedback and expressions of interest in joining the Friends of WoolOn group can be provided directly to Ms Ravenscroft at chairwoman.woolon@
gmail.com