Press release from Hokonui Fashion Design Awards
13 June 2012

Influential fashion icon back on judging panel at Hokonui Fashion Design Awards

Organisers of this year’s Hokonui Fashion Design Awards are “thrilled” at the fashion expertise assembled for this year’s judging panel.

Based in Gore, and one of the major events on New Zealand’s fashion calendar, the Awards offer amateur designers the chance to showcase their work in front of top fashion experts.

Spearheading the panel this year is New Zealand fashion icon Doris de Pont, on her third visit to the Awards. A designer for more than 25 years, Doris retired her label in 2008 and now works as a freelance fashion curator. This year she published ‘Black’, a book tracing the history and influence of the colour black in both fashion and New Zealand’s culture.

Doris is joined by Auckland’s James Dobson whose label ‘Jimmy D’ has continued to wow the fashion scene since its inception in 2006. Like Doris, James is returning to the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards judging panel.

Well-known Christchurch designer Barbara Lee makes her debut on the judging panel. Barbara has been at the forefront of the fashion industry in New Zealand since 1978. She has notched up many corporate clients over the years, with Air New Zealand staff wearing Barbara Lee-designed uniforms for many years.

Lela Jacobs is the fourth member of the panel for 2012, making her first trip to the Deep South. Lela is an ex-Wellingtonian who now lives in Auckland and has opened ‘The Keep’, her own store on K’ Road. Jacobs is making big waves in the fashion industry and is well known for creating her own fabric print range. In a move that demonstrates her support of the calibre of entrants at the event, she recently employed last year’s ‘Award of Excellence’ winner Kerry Wong.

The fifth and final member of the panel is Gore’s Jim Geddes, who will once again join the panel as the Steampunk expert. Jim is well-known as the curator of the nationally acclaimed Eastern Southland Gallery.

Awards convenor Heather Paterson said she was delighted with the calibre of this year’s judges.

”These are highly regarded people in the fashion industry and we’re delighted that they take time out of their busy schedules to join us in Gore for the weekend,” she said.

“Having them on our judging panel reinforces the standard of our Awards and the opportunities we provide to emerging designers.”

The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards have been running since 1988 and are now firmly established as a key event on the national fashion calendar. The Awards offer a competitive platform for all amateur designers to display their designs before a panel of high profile judges.

The Hokonui Fashion Design Awards will be held in Gore 27th & 28th July, 2012. For more information about the awards visit www.hokonuifashion.com

ENDS

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