Mele Alamoni and Patricia Santos have always wanted to make clothes. Last week, the two talented Kelston College students won best traditionally inspired garment at this month’s Westfield Style Pasifika awards. It has been a rapid rise to fame for them. Mele, a New Zealand-born Tongan, explained to a local daily that “my family hasn’t always had enough money for buying outfits so I’ve always been into sewing my own dresses.” The wining garment was inspired by Tongan tatoo patterns. Patricia (Philippines-born) said “it’s pretty amazing just seeing our dresses being modelled at such a big show.” The two girls have been close friends since intermediate school and plan to study their craft at AUT next year.
(Picture of Mele Alamoni and Patricia Santos’ winning dress. Image from Designer Direction Website.)
At the conclusion of another dramatic showcase of colour, texture, design and performance, AUT fashion graduate Nadeesha Godamunne, was crowned supreme winner of the 15th Westfield Style Pasifika Awards with her three-piece collection “Trompe L’oeil”. Another first-time entrant, Shenade Smith from Tauranga, was runner-up with a garment that paid homage to Sir Edmund Hillary. Little known first timer, William Jakk from Papua New Guinea, took out the MAC Body Art category with a design titled “Snake People”. Nadeesha Godamunne now heads to Italy to compete in the Mittelmoda Fashion Awards as part of her prize for winning the 2009 Southern Trust iD Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards. (Image from the Spasifik Magazine Website)
The much anticipated annual Westfield Style Pasifika fashion extravaganza is set to flow down the catwalk tonight at Auckland’s Vector Arena. The show features 85 garments selected from hundreds of submissions. The Pasifika-inspired designs are judged in several categories including evening, bridal, urban streetwear, traditionally-inspired, parent and child, body art, Pasifika Hero, Asia-Pasifika, and men’s wear. Westfield Style Pasifika is a two hour entertainment spectacle of traditional and contemporary fashion, dance and music. It is intended to reflect Pacific mana: strength, respect and pride. The show begins at 7.30 pm, Friday 4 September, 2009.
(Past winner of the bridal category, by designer Visesio Thomsen. Image from the Westfield Style Pasifika Website)
Westfield Style Pasifika 2009 returns at Auckland’s Vector Arena at 6 pm on Friday 4th September 2009. One of the nation’s iconic fashion events, Westfield Style Pasifika is recognised for launching some of this country’s finest design and performance talent and showcasing the best of Pasifika style and fashion. The show is a potent mix of traditional and contemporary fashion, music and dance featuring up to 200 of the country’s most exciting Pacific entertainers. This extravaganza is one of the most eagerly anticipated shows by designers and audiences alike. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.nz or call 09 970 9700.
This design by Kiri Nathan was the 2008 supreme winner and winner of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs "Traditionally Inspired" category. Image courtesy of the Westfield Style Pasifika website.
Pedestrians in Takapuna were treated to a change of scenery last week as models for the 2009 National Body Art Awards were painted in the foyer of the Bruce Mason Centre. Among them was Danielle Meredith a young Pasifika body artist who later won the second runner up prize in the ethnic tribal category. Danielle was one of three Pasifilka entries in the competition. The supreme award was won by Kelly Zhong-ni Ren. For images, visit the 2009 New Zealand Body Art Awards website.
Former Porirua resident Lua Talaoloa E’etau, 27, is one of three students from NZ Fashion Tech to earn a place at the New Zealand Fashion Week in September, after creating a dress made entirely out of toilet paper. The father of three, who once attended Porirua College but now lives in West Auckland, never expected to end up in the fashion industry. Talaoloa received training in the arts at the New Zealand College of Performing Arts. After working on the film set of King Kong, he moved to Auckland where he says he developed an interest in fashion while looking through fashion magazines. The youngest of 10 children, Mr Talaoloa E’etau moved to New Zealand from Samoa in 1994 and says he preferred maths over art during his college days. “Being Samoan you are usually expected to play rugby and focus on other stuff, not fashion.” His advice to young people is, “dream big and aim high”. Read more about this story in the Dominion Post.
Lua Talaoloa E'etau's pompom party dress made completely out of toilet paper. Image from the Dominion Post.
Christchurch fashion personality Andhy Blake, has been appointed to coach Magdalena Elizabeth Schoeman for the Miss World Finals in Johannesburg, South Africa later this year. The Fijian fashion director will style her entire wardrobe, teach her how to walk, coach her about speaking to the media and how to answer questions during the contest. Andhy was one of the judges for Miss World New Zealand on April 25th, 2009.
Up-and-coming Christchurch stylist, designer and producer, Andhy Blake, recently added his Fijian touch to the new Ladi 6 video “Dark Brown” from her album Time is not Much. Working with the hip-hip and soul diva on her debut album was Blake’s first foray into the world of music and entertainment, and comes in the wake of his successful direction and production of “Style Christchurch“, the South Island’s premier fashion event. Blake has since been confirmed as one of the judges for Miss World New Zealand’s Miss Swimsuit and Top Model sections. These are scheduled for March 8th and April 12th 2009, with the finals on 25 April 2009.
The Australasian Performing Art Association (APRA/AMCOS) and Creative New Zealand will host an evening of information for Pacific artists and musicians based in Christchurch and Canterbury about performing rights, royalties and funding. Petrina George and Tarisi Vunidilo will also speak about their respective organisations and how they work to serve the interests of Pacific artists. This is an opportunity not to be missed and will take place on Wednesday 4 February at Christchurch’s Dux de Lux from 6 pm onwards. The workshop will be followed by a performance of original tunes and some classic hits by local reggae band Niu Seila. For more details, visit the Pacific Underground Website.
Style Christchurch 2008 is the premier South Island fashion event and runs from the 3rd to the 7th of November 2008. The annual show is produced and directed by former Fiji resident, Andhy Blake. This year’s event includes Koila McBride, the international Fijian designer. The week begins with the New Face Show and the Retail Collections Show. It ends with the special Red Dress collection featuring red outfits in aid of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, and the Finale which showcases the latest collection of 13 of New Zealand’s top designers.
Mele Alamoni and Patricia Santos have always wanted to make clothes. Last week, the two talented Kelston College students won best traditionally inspired garment at this month’s Westfield Style Pasifika awards. It has been a rapid rise to fame for them. Mele, a New Zealand-born Tongan, explained to a local daily that “my family hasn’t always had enough money for buying outfits so I’ve always been into sewing my own dresses.” The wining garment was inspired by Tongan tatoo patterns. Patricia (Philippines-born) said “it’s pretty amazing just seeing our dresses being modelled at such a big show.” The two girls have been close friends since intermediate school and plan to study their craft at AUT next year.
