Ag Art Wear helps students with NCEA

Clothing made out of everything rural fills the textile classroom at Matamata College again this year.

Preparing for the college’s 18th anniversary of involvement in the National Fieldays Ag Art Wear awards, students dress plastic models in punched out sheet metal and frost cloth skirts.

Year 12 Matamata college students Ashleigh Andrawartha and Korri Cunningham merge work with play as they design their outfits under NCEA and Fieldays Ag Art Wear guidelines.

With the help of school teacher and head of textiles Melody Priest, the girls earn NCEA credits for their Ag Art Wear entries.

This is Priest’s second year involved in the competition.

“It’s all about the students, that’s why we do it.”

Ashleigh and Korri, 16, will enter their designs into the Designer Traditional section.

The event invites designers to create wearable art that uses only materials sourced from the farm, rural industries or the natural environment.

“The biggest challenge is trying to come up with something new,” said Priest.

Ashleigh’s garment, which she calls Iron Maiden, was inspired by a dress made of discs she had seen in a fashion magazine.

Korri’s is a wedding dress made of yellow grain bags and purple tree ties.

With over $12,000 in the prize pool, the competition challenges entrants to create thoughtful, interesting and unique designs.

The girls say if they win the money will be spent wisely.

“I’ll probably buy gifts for all of the people who helped me first, and then go shopping with the rest,” said Ashleigh.

“I’ll put it into savings,” said Korri.

The designs will be adopted into the country couture family during the four days of Fieldays next week at Mystery Creek. Both garments will be worn by professional models from Nouveau Management.