Bayfield High School student Annabel van Baalen, 13, won first place in the junior technical category at the HETTANZ fashion awards for a vest she designed and hand stitched.
Annabel said the vest was a last-minute creation as she was planning on submitting a hoodie she had designed instead.
However, she thought the hoodie was not good enough for the competition and decided to make the vest.
"This was the second thing I made because I wanted to see if I could do better," she said.
The vest was only the second garment she had ever made.
She said she went for a western colour scheme because she liked the vibe of it.
It was her second year studying textiles at Bayfield and she was really enjoying it.
She was shocked to win the award but the best thing about it was she would receive a free sewing machine worth nearly $500.
Annabel had always been "fascinated" by fashion but had never done it because she had a really old sewing machine.
Now that she had a brand new sewing machine, she was looking forward to making things all summer long.
So far she had made a cover for the sewing machine and a pillow.
