Road kill for the runway

17 May 2004
For immediate release

Possum fur bikinis could be among the many fashion items on the catwalk at the 2004 National Agricultural Fieldays, 16-19 June.

Fieldays® Possum Fur Fashion Design Awards ran for the first time in 2003. And organisers were so delighted with the beautiful pieces of fashion submitted, they decided to run it again, Fieldays competitions coordinator Kate McGowan said.

“The purpose of the competition is to recognise the creative and outstanding use of a New Zealand pest and provide visiting crowds with an interesting attraction,“ Miss McGowan said.

The Fieldays Possum Fur Fashion Design Awards is a competition open to anyone who can create a fashion item from possum fur.

“Last year saw some absolutely beautiful garments paraded on the catwalk at Fieldays,” Miss McGowan said.

“We saw everything – from jackets, hats to some items that were a little bit more risqué.”

The competition is sponsored proudly by Gray Fur Trading who made their name by creating the world-famous possum fur ‘nipple warmer’ and ‘Willie warmer’.

And if you’re wondering just how you come about the material for your project, possum fur pelts can be purchased from Gray Fur Trading, ph 03 756 8090.

Interested designers can contact Fieldays on 07 843 4499 competitions@fieldays.co.nz for an entry form.

Last year’s entrants were from around New Zealand, including Ngatea, Matamata, Cambridge, Hamilton, Mangawhai. The 2003 winner was from Port Chalmers, Dunedin. A joint effort called “Seriously Twisted” by Linzi Irvine and Ross Munroe caught the judges’ eyes.

Ends.

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