Make way for steampunk

Exciting new sections added special flair to the 2011 Hokonui Design Awards event, which celebrated its 23rd year in Gore at the weekend. Jude Hathaway reports.

Making their respective debuts this year, steampunk fashion and young school designers brought exciting new dynamics to the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards show in Gore at the weekend.

The assured creativity of many of the finalists in the school sections startled. That entries came from schools in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Dunedin, Christchurch and Mataura was a mark of the groundwork put in by the show's co-ordinator, Heather Paterson, to set the section in place.

But it was the steampunk finalist outfits - including those in the school section - that brought fabulous fresh imagery to the catwalk by way of an entertaining swathe of edgy styles from a genre that, generally, takes its cue from Victorian science fiction, referencing the industrialised 19th century as its aesthetic.

It was Victoriana meets contemporary and a juxtaposition of masculine and feminine in the leather and lace. This diversity gained further traction through design details and accessories. Ornate Victorian pistols, gorgeous parasols, Victorian driving goggles and bonnets appeared in the line-up of outfits, along with buckled, buttoned and laced boots.

"We decided after last year's show that the time was right to introduce a steampunk section given the huge interest in the genre here and overseas and before the interest lost momentum," Paterson said.

"We were thrilled with the response."

Overall, entry numbers remained on a par with other years and the calibre of the more than 200 outfits on the catwalk was testament to the innovation, creativity and overall design nous on which the Hokonui awards' reputation has been built.

"Organising the show this year had its challenges, mainly because of the earthquakes and ash clouds," Paterson said.

And, despite the fact that two had to be replaced at the last minute, the judges, as always, constituted quite a force.

Worldman designer Benny Castle was joined by fellow Aucklander and Urban Creative designer and general manager Theresa Brady, back for her third stint at the awards.

Notable Gore curator and Gore District Council head of arts and heritage Jim Geddes was also on the panel, as was Invercargill's Emily Kerse - a member of last year's panel - while from Dunedin came designer and owner of the Deval fashion boutique Debbie Lawson.

They had their work cut out.

In his first stint on the judging panel Benny Castle was impressed.

"It was exciting to meet some of the steampunk pioneers in New Zealand and learn more about the movement. The outfits showed such an interesting mix of ideas in a category that works so well for the creative spirit." he said.

"And some of the younger entrants were absolutely brilliant."

He was impressed to see menswear being taken so seriously by creatives and to see the winner of the menswear section, Kerry Wong, also take away the Ensign Award of Excellence for his entry in the collections category.

Diversity was seen from the opening Howl at The Moon Streetwear section. Summery colour-splashed printed separates overlaid with a neutral jacket contrasted with wide-leg pants and plaid jackets. There were short, pleated culottes, pretty dresses and classy-sassy bra tops and briefs worn with jackets.

That same diverse approach was seen in the Fredericks menswear section.

This was masculinity meets androgyny. Outfits swung from cape coats, fur vests and satin pants to printed T-shirts to a Japan-influenced pants style teamed with a draped top. The Southern Institute of Technology's wool section once again showed the fibre's incredible and undisputed versatility in all fields of fashion, including evening wear and menswear, while the Nu Dax Denim section, although small, showed why the fabric has enjoyed such a long reign through its ability to look great at various fashion levels. The VnC Avante-garde award took the crowd through the glitz and glam, the edgy and on to feminine elegance.

The Heartland Hotel Croydon Nightlife Award showed a similar mix of aesthetics, opulence meeting minimalism in an array of outfits all set for the ball and cocktail circuits.

Always a crowd pleaser and a stand-out section is the Carvin Streetwear Collections. This year, the 44 collections, including menswear, wowed the crowd as they poured down the catwalk three by three, using colour co-ordination and design techniques to tie three outfits into resonant collections.

Said Paterson: "It has the most challenges to present given the number of quick changes for the models. But it is always satisfying to see the end result."

 

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Award winners

• Streetwear: Angela Ward, runner-up: Sarah Holmes
• Wool: Kristin Leitch, Maxine and Samara Woolridge, runner-up: Amanda Donaldson
• Denim: Andre Johnstone, runners-up: Kristin Leitch, Maxine and Samara Woolridge
• Menswear: Sarah Odering, runner-up: James Bush
• Carvin Collections Award: Kerry Wong, runner-up: Eleni Kristea
• Steampunk: Amanda Hasselman and Kate Scott, runner-up: Jeannie Dyer
• Avant-garde: Kerrie Williams, runner-up: Hannah Shand
• Nightlife: Roberta Davids, runner-up: James Bush
• Garment with Most Commercial Potential: Kristin Leitch, Maxine and Samara Woolridge
• Best Use of Fabric: Eleni Kristea
• Knitted: Helen Marshall
• Southland Designer: Andre Johnstone
• Young Designer: Allison Brooks
• Award of Excellence: Kerry Wong 

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