Wanganui T-shirt a Winner

Wanganui T-shirt a Winner

EMBARGOED UNTIL 11 SEPTEMBER

A Marton secondary school student’s T-shirt design with a social statement has won first place against hundreds of other adorned, bedecked and deconstructed entries from around the central North Island in a UCOL fashion design competition.

Ashleigh Porter of Nga Tawa School in Marton was awarded first place and an Ipod at an awards party held to celebrate the winners at the Matapihi ki te Ao campus on Wednesday 10 September.

Record numbers of entries were received this year with over 300 white T-shirts given out by UCOL to secondary school students at 15 schools in the Wairarapa, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Wanganui regions.

Ashleigh’s entry features the word ‘clone’, and art work reminiscent of New Zealand painter Bill Hammond. She has also added a folded collar, lining and buttons to the plain shirt.

The runner up, Anna Groves of Wanganui High School, and six highly commended winners (including four from Wanganui) will also be presented with prizes at the function.

Whanganui UCOL Acting Head of the School of Fashion Cassandra Knight, who judged the competition, said the students put lots of work into their entries, and choosing from so many very different designs was a challenge.

“I particularly liked the thought Ashleigh has given to creating something individual and explaining the ideas behind it and who would buy it. It is a challenging and thoughtful interpretation.”

Cassandra says entries span the rainbow of colours, have been cut, hemmed, ripped, coloured, patched, tailored and adorned with everything from synthetic pearls and sequins to shopping bags and lolly wrappers by the students who worked on them in their arts and textiles classes.

This year the competition was held in two rounds - the first judged in June, and will be followed with a readers choice award in Tearaway youth magazine.

The first round winner Chloe Sanson from Horowhenua College in Levin, was also in attendance to be awarded her prize. Her elegant entry with a plunging back and silver trimmings was also on display at the party.

UCOL offers a range of fashion programmes through the Whanganui and Palmerston North campuses; from the Bachelor of Fashion to the Certificate in Fashion & Beauty Level 1.

Participating schools:
Wanganui: St Dominic’s College, Rangitikei College, Turakina Maori Girls’ College, Wanganui High School, Wanganui Girls’ College, Hawera High School, Nga Tawa School.
Wairarapa: Chanel College, Makoura College, Ponatahi Christian School, Kuranui College.
Manawatu: Queen Elizabeth College, Awatapu College, Palmerston North Girls’ High School.
Horowhenua: Waiopehu College, Horowhenua College.

ENDS

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