The 2013 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards was a memorable show that honoured the event's first 25 years, the remarkable work of convener Heather Paterson and her committee and the extraordinary talents of up-and-coming New Zealand designers. Here Jude Hathaway takes a look at this year's winners of the two major prizes.
When Renuka Malik's long dark navy dress appeared on the catwalk at the 25th Hokonui Design Awards Gala Night, many in the audience caught their breath at its stark simplicity and beauty.
Others missed it completely amid the flurry of the other more ornately designed Nightlife entries. Such was its idiosyncratic nature.
Here was a mix of youthful sophistication and old-world charm.
Had the model donned a Victorian bonnet it might well have been Holly Hunter in Jane Campion's 1993 movie, The Piano, making a reappearance.
And in its fresh originality the astute judges had found what they had been seeking for the top prize, the Southland Times Award of Merit, valued at $18,000.
Dunedin's Margarita Robertson, of Nom*D, a judge at the awards for the third time, had said that she would be looking for creativity and originality, ''something that was new''.
It was a similar quest for fellow judges Elizabeth Findlay, of Zambesi, and Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, of World, who were both on the panel for a second time, and Invercargill designer and first-timer Warwick Woodfield.
They spent two full days judging 200 garments in 11 sections.
(The fifth judge Jim Geddes, Gore district curator of arts and heritage, concentrated on judging the Steampunk section.)
Other judging criteria included fashion trend and design expression, cut and finish, compatibility of fabric/fibre and design, innovation and the total look.
The sectional judging is carried out using a ''blind'' format, so each entry is numbered but not named.
Excited and a little stunned following her big win, Renuka Malik (20) a second-year student in the diploma in fashion technology and design at the Canterbury Polytechnic Institute of Technology, said her dream from an early age has been for a career in fashion.
It was her first entry in the awards.
''I wish I had been at the show. The model was perfect for the gown and had the height to show off the fluidity of the skirt and the way it moved. She was amazing.''
Renuka made the dress as part of a project using the drape method, in which garments are designed on a body form.
Even the fabric - a fireproof cotton drill often used for uniforms - was an unusual choice for an evening gown but it worked well, reinforcing the quiet elegance she wanted.
''I chose to design an evening gown because I love their overall elegance.''
Another fashion design student, this time from the Otago Polytechnic School of Design (fashion), carried off the other major prize, the $3000 Westpac Young Designer Award.
Hannah Louise Heslop also aged 20, is a third-year student, originally from Christchurch, who had entries in the steampunk, silver, collections, nightlife and wool sections.
It was her outfit in the latter, in which she was runner-up, that took the big prize.
For Hannah Louise the awards have been an annual challenge for the past five years.
Her first entries were presented when she was at the Hagley Community College's School of Fashion in years 12 and 13.
This is her first win.
''I was thrilled just to get runner-up in the wool section. To go on to win the Young Designer award was really exciting,''she said.
What the judges said...
What did the judges think about these two extraordinary and very different winning entries?
Commenting on Renuka's award-winning gown, Mrs L'Estrange-Corbet, who flew out to Tanzania immediately following the awards, said after the presentations that there was magic in its simplicity and that its great cut and fabulous fabric made for a great garment.
MARGARITA ROBERTSON: NOM*D
RENUKA MALIK: ''For me first impressions count when judging fashion awards and it was that first sighting of Renuka Malik's entry in the Heartland Hotel Croydon Nightlife Award section that made me instantly sit up and take notice.
''It had a real presence, a simple beauty and balance that created a beautiful silhouette. Renuka's choice of polished cotton drill for the fabric suited the design perfectly. It had just the right amount of stiffness for the pleats and overall shape.''
HANNAH LOUISE HESLOP: ''Hannah Louise's entry in the wool section was also an eye-catcher. The interesting factor here was the combination of textiles.
"The khaki cape and blue knitted skirt provided a really original colour combination and there was a juxtaposition between the beautifully bound and finished wool jacket and the sequinned applique pieces that were pinned on to it with gold safety pins so that they could be moved about the outfit. ''
ELIZABETH FINDLAY: ZAMBESI
RENUKA MALIK: ''As a judge I am looking for an entry that stands apart and shows the designer's potential to go further in this industry. I found that in the overall winning entry of Renuka Malik. This dress had a beautiful silhouette, perfectly proportioned, subtle details and an excellent choice of fabric. These elements made it a winner for me."
HANNAH LOUISE HESLOP: ''The Young Designer Award winner, Hannah Louise, showed great promise in the execution of her garments. Her creative and technical skills were evident in her attention to detail and finish. Hannah entered several categories and her passion for her design is undeniable. This made her a winner for me.''
WARWICK WOODFIELD
RENUKA MALIK: ''The Renuka Malik entry was the definite standout in the Nightlife section and once we had weighed up all the merits of the winning garment of each section it was the definite Award of Excellence winner. The floor-length silhouette was clean, the bodice and skirt beautifully balanced to create an elegance that was perfect for an evening dress.''
HANNAH LOUISE HESLOP: ''Here we looked seriously at the calibre of workmanship and whether the potential was there to go on to secure a future within the fashion industry. Hannah Louise's choice of colours and her ability to create a balance between the cape and the knitted skirt was commendable. And her knowledge of design ensured that her use of pompoms around the hemline was effective without looking overdone.''
