Award winning designer to host College Fashion Show

Leading designer Annah Stretton will help judge the Hauraki Plains College annual Make and Model Fashion Show which will hit the runway this month.

The fashion extravaganza showcases talent from HPC students and surrounding schools.

It will be hosted by New Zealand’s award-winning designer Annah Stretton.

“[I] love what it is, it’s competitions like this that keep the spirit of the community alive, what a wonderful platform to catapult off. Who knows where it will all end for a startup entrant,” Stretton said.

The 13 categories range from “recycled made for $10 or under” to the designer section that is set aside for Stretton to judge.

The other categories will be judged by Vicki Brocklehurst, Julie Stevenson and Kerry Ranginui.

Event organisers Amanda Fitzpatrick and Christina Stilwell started the show seven years ago.

“We work well together, Christina came up with the idea of a fashion show to display the talent of what students are doing, she roped me in as a right-hand and brain,” Fitzpatrick said.

The Make and Model Fashion Show is designed as a fundraiser to get year 12 and 13 fabric students to the World of Wearable Arts (WoW).

“It was created to help keep alive fabric technology in schools and also to fundraise to get 20 students to “WoW” in Wellington which we do every alternative year now,” Stilwell said.

The supreme winner of the school show will walk away with a sewing machine.

“It’s a show that encourages kids and the general public to make a garment and then model on the catwalk.

It builds so much confidence for the kids on the catwalk and is great to encourage sewing, which is a dying art,” Stilwell said.

The Make and Model Fashion Show will be held on August 18 at 7pm at the Hauraki Plains School Hall.

For tickets (matinee $5 and evening $10) contact Amanda or Christina at the college.