Alright! So I had a great time looking into New Zealand Maori fashion designers, and I came across this video coverage of the 2009 Westfield Style Pasifika’s fashion show - New Zealand's premier Fashion Awards. It shows the garments of some of the designers I featured this past week, including Amber Bridgman, Charmaine Love, and others (and I must say, Amber Bridgman rocks it out in just about every category). Right now, New Zealand Fashion Week is in full swing, and I look forward to seeing what the Maori designer collective fashion show Miromoda has to offer.
The video below, of a 2009 fashion show, is just a lot of fun to watch. You can watch one of the segments below, but there’s a total of 6 parts that you can view at your own convenience (it’s a total of 60 mins – and totally worth watching the whole thing).
The event website explains that the Awards show is recognized for launching some of New Zealand’s finest fashion design and performance talent, and showcasing its raw and Indigenous style. The show is a mixture of traditional and contemporary fashion, as well as music and dance featuring the country's most exciting Pacific entertainers.
“As always the event attracts a dynamic range of designs from throughout New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. Each year it never fails to astound with the diversity in backgrounds, ages and nationalities of designers that enter the competition - from young design students through to those with established labels, high schools students through to grandmothers. The show truly is all-inclusive and provides designers with an invaluable platform to showcase their talent.”
The 10 categories of the award show include:
(Segment 1): Urban Pasifika Streetwear, and Asia Pasifika,
(Segment 2): Painted Body Art, and Pasifika 3-Piece Collection,
(Segment 3): Traditionally Inspired, and Pasifika Hero,
(Segment 4): Pasifika Menswear, and Pasifika Evening Wear,
(Segment 5): Parent and Child, and Pasifika Bridal
Two new categories were introduced in 2003 - Asia Pasifika which reflects the Asian Pacific influences in New Zealand; and the Pasifika Hero category - a broader celebration and acknowledgement of the ‘3rd gender’ so common in the pacific and a part of New Zealand’s gay community.
The third segment was my favorite, so I’ve pasted it below. But I must say that they are all worth checking out:
Watch all six segments by clicking here.