Innovative Interpretation of Maori Garment Wins

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Supreme Winner Tallulah Filloy

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Spacifix singing with dress by Sharleen Greer, UrbanStreet Wear

7TH October 2006

Innovative Interpretation of Traditional Maori Garment Wins Westfield Style Pasifika Awards 2006

An innovative and exciting representation of a traditional Maori woman's costume combined with a traditional Maori moko and titled Te Moko is the winner of the Supreme Award for Westfield Style Pasifika Fashion Awards 2006.

The garments onstage ranged from show stoppers to the very classic - all with a touch of the South Pacific and a celebration of this part of the world which is the hallmark of Westfield Style Pasifika. Categories were accompanied by entertainers including Che Fu, Spacifix and Aaradhna.

The Award was presented last night at Auckland Town Hall by the Prime Minister at the Westfield Style Pasifika Fashion and Entertainment Spectacular.

The winning garment was designed by Tallulah Filloy who is a British /New Zealander based in Brisbane, the garment was the winner of the Traditionally Inspired Category of the Award and uses a wool/cashmere blend as the dress base with a cotton bath mat to represent a bustle of feathers, a cotton and bamboo runner as the corset with the face tattoo hand embroidered and two wool pom poms to represent the poi.

"I was inspired by the use of modern materials in traditional arts and crafts, I wanted to surprise the viewer and show how incorporating the unexpected can create an undeniable Maori costume" explained Tallulah Filloy.

"Tallulah's garment was for me the 'hands down' winner combining the ethnic with the modern and reflecting where we are at this time in this part of the world. It is of such originality and quality it will be in a Museum in a hundred years," said Judge Chris Roberts, designer and owner of Pearl.

"The entries showcased immense talent, it was most impressive and selecting the finalists was an extraordinary and hard task."
Tallulah first entered Westfield Style Pasifika in 2003. In 2004 she entered again and won the Traditionally Inspired category. Last year she was a finalist in the Three Piece Section.

Originally studying fashion design in Sydney, Tallulah has always been inspired by the South Pacific and is now creating jewellery using paua and mussel from New Zealand for The Museum of Brisbane.

For the Supreme Award she receives $3000 and a P &O Pacific Cruise plus $1000 for winning her category.

The Overall Runner Up was Kerry Funnell, winner of the Fashionz Three Piece Collection for her Afterglow collection. Funnell, from Tauranga, entered three suits made from merino fine wool, jacquard and wool crepe. Funnell said her inspiration came from Maori carving designs interpreted in printing and embroidery and Maori ceremonial cloaks represented by rows of rib. Funnell was the winner of the Westfield Style Pasifika Asia Pasifika section in 2004 and was Highly Commended in last year's Traditionally Inspired section.

"The Award and quality of entries has just continued to grow," said the Producer of Westfield Style Pasifika Stan Wolfgramm, "it has been a record year for entries with over 300 and the quality has been exceptional."

"We are proud to be a major sponsor of Style Pasifika, to be part of an outstanding event that nurtures some extraordinary talent and proud to announce our ongoing support into 2007," said Deputy Director of Westfield New Zealand, Justin Lynch. Westfield New Zealand is the key sponsor of Westfield Style Pasifika and has been since 2002.

The categories in the fashion award reflect the uniqueness of Westfield Style Pasifika : Pasifika Three Piece Collection; Urban Pasifika Street Wear; Pasifika Menswear; Pasifika Evening Wear; Pasifika Bridal Wear; Parent and Child; Painted Body Art; Traditionally Inspired; Asia Pasifika; and Pasifika Hero.

Judges for the 2006 Award were designers Liz Mitchell, Frances Hooper and Denise L'Estrange - Corbet from World, Chris Roberts of Pearl and from Waitakere City's Pacific Arts Advisory Board, Mary Ama.

The Show has been produced for 13 years and has grown into one of the key fashion and entertainment events in the country. www.stylepasifika.co.nz.

CAPTIONS ON ALL PIX

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Angela Griffen TBWA\Whybin
09 3666266/0275780889 angela.griffen@tbwawhybin.co.nz

WESTFIELD STYLE PASIFIKA WINNERS AND SPONSORS

Overall Winners Category

Tallulah Filloy TV1 Supreme Award
Kerry Funnell Pasifika Fashion Arts Trust Highly Commended

Category Winners

Tallulah Filloy Heritage Hotels Traditionally Inspired Brisbane
Kerry Funnell Fashionz Three-piece Tauranga
Alison and Karen Reid Resene Asia-Pasifika Ponsonby AK
Jane Leuii NZ Aids Foundation Hero Westmere AK
Keri Wanoa & Flava Streetwear New Plymouth
Hemi Sundgren
Michal Suebakk SkyCity Evening Tauranga
Rubi Taitu'uaga Fudge Menswear Apia, Samoa
Alla Sosnovskaia Oyster Entertainment Bridal Beachhaven, AK
Belinda Hunt Asia NZ Foundation Parent and Child New Plymouth

Category Highly Commended

Fale Rodney Paeu Traditionally Inspired Orakei, AK
Corinne Te Whata Three-piece Flat Bush, AK
Lorre Bramley Popham Asia-Pasifika Titirangi, AK
K Dunseath Hero
Ming Wei Li Streetwear Hillcrest, AK
Ming Wei Li Evening Hillcrest, AK
Vinci Gin-Nen Menswear AK
Jessica Marcotte Bridal Wanganui
Linda and Louise Paulin Parent and Child

ENDS

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