Designs bode well for future
The judges for the MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards held on Friday and Saturday nights at the Gore Town and Country Stadium were impressed with natural fibres and unconventional materials used in the designs. The judges said they were impressed with the high calibre of ideas this year.
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Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Award-winning creations inspired by family, fauna
New Zealand fauna and a pair of purple hot pants were the seeds of ideas that became Gore's prizewinning garments at the 2025 MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards. Peroni — Open Gala award-winner Viv Tamblyn said the royal purple of her garment was based on a pair of hot pants she wore on her first date with her now husband in the 1970s. Mrs Tamblyn and her husband Graham have been married 50 years, and the garment's colour was an ode to their anniversary. "Our first date, I wore that purple — hot pants that I'd made myself," she said. Mrs Tamblyn has entered the awards each year since 2007, and has won a category every year since then. She said the awards had changed over the years and in the beginning there were a lot of polyester fabrics being used, and now everyone tried to use more natural fibres. "Now we're much more aware of sustainability," she said. The purple "puffer" wrap was a last-minute addition, when Mrs Tamblyn wondered what to do with some leftover fabric, she said. Her preference is wool because, as well as being a nod to Southland weather, can be used to provide different textures, layered and contrasted in a look. She has combined hand-knitted, crocheted, machine-knit and merino wool layers in her designs. "I like to try and do something original each year if I can, and something I haven't done before," she said. "I don't like doing things twice, really." Debbie Smith said her sparkling creation, which won the Heather Paterson QSM Memorial Award, was inspired by the iridescence of the native tui and paua shells. Mrs Smith's glittering, behorned number was entered in the APT Collections Open Aotearoa Award section, in which she was runner-up. In her research, she realised the Maori word tui meant to sew, or weave together and she said that informed her garment's construction. Also a native bird, she said the tui's feathers were a "stunning interplay" of inky black, deep green and metallic blue, which she expressed in her garment. To achieve the iridescent look of tui feathers, Mrs Smith used shimmery fabric under sequined material that shone under the stage lights. Mrs Smith was honoured to win the Heather Paterson award, as she had been an "idol" for her growing up. Mrs Tamblyn also knew the Southern fashion awards icon, and won the award in its inaugural year, 10 years ago. She said Mrs Paterson, who died in 2015, was a generous competitor who encouraged everyone to enter, acting as a mentor to amateur designers. "She always gave you confidence to have a go," Mrs Tamblyn said. "As you get a few awards, you do get more confidence," she said.
Otago Daily Times
30-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Designs bode well for future
Clockwise from top left, the School Gala Award went to Ivy Mckenzie, of Wakatipu High School, for this tiered design; Vicki Taylor-Blair and Chris Reeve, of Dunedin, won the Open Avant Garde Award and the overall Award of Excellence for this design made from bicycle tyre tubes; the Heather Patterson QSM Memorial Award for the best Southland designer went to Debbie Smith, of Gore, who also won the Open Aotearoa Award; Viv Tamblyn, of Gore, stands beside a model wearing the design which won her the Open Winter Solstice Award. Photos: Still Vision Photography The judges for the MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards held on Friday and Saturday nights at the Gore Town and Country Stadium were impressed with natural fibres and unconventional materials used in the designs. The judges said they were impressed with the high calibre of ideas this year.
Otago Daily Times
27-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Tyres and dental floss prove winning combination
Annalisa Wikitoria McConachie (second left) wears the 2025 MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards "Award of Excellence" winning garment, flanked by designers Vicki Taylor-Blair (left) and Chris Reeve. Awards emcee Antonia Prebble is also pictured. PHOTO: ELLA SCOTT-FLEMING A garment made from the inner tubes of bicycle tyres and dental floss won the top prize at this year's MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards. Dunedin duo Vicki Taylor-Blair and Chris Reeve won the "Mataura Licensing Trust Award of Excellence" award in Gore on Saturday night for their design. The hours of hard work and inventive ideas of Southland designers and makers were also recognised. Hairdresser Ms Taylor-Blair won the same prize in 2018 alongside other accolades in the competition in the 12 years she has been involved. "I don't come to win, I just come for the challenge," she said. "I just love to see my work coming down the catwalk." She said the skirt was made with the woven tyre tubes. Then underneath was a frame. To sew the heavy structure to straps she had to use dental floss for its strength. The pair have entered the competition together as well as individually in previous years. Mrs Reeve said they usually get together once a week, until the competition deadline looms closer. "Just on Sundays mostly and, as the time gets closer, we get busier," Mrs Reeve said. Mrs Reeve works as a fabric technology teacher at Queen's High School and said her students had watched the garment come to life. "[They] have been watching this whole thing grow," she said. After some nerves over how the dress would show on the runway, Mrs Reeve was happy enough to win the Avant Garde Award earlier in the evening. "I thought, this is the best night of my life," she said. When she and Ms Taylor-Blair won the final, $16,500 prize package, tears were shed. "I was definitely crying," she said. Another winner on the night was Viv Tamblyn from Gore who won the "Peroni Open Gala Award" for her purple quilted puffer creation. It was Ms Tamblyn's 18th year competing. She had won a section every year bar one, she said. Ms Tamblyn usually has three looks in the competition, but this year it was "only" two. She said she took two months off after the competition before starting again. Her second look, an all-red pin-tucked garment, took her at least six months, she said. Another Gore local Debbie Smith won the "Heather Paterson QSM Memorial Trophy - Best Southland Designer Award" for her gown with horned headpiece. The evening was emceed by Outrageous Fortune actress Antonia Prebble, who took time to honour the awards' volunteer organisers, convener Jacqui McKinney and ambassador, Huffer founder Steve Dunstan.
