CPIT student wins Hokonui Fashion Design Awards

CPIT student wins Hokonui Fashion Design Awards

CPIT’s Renuka Malik is buzzing after taking out the top prize at the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards last Saturday. The second year fashion student won the Southland Times Award of Excellence for her entry in the Nightlife section. She received a prize package to the value of $18,000 which includes a week’s mentoring at Annah Stretton.

“This award means everything to me – the exposure, the work experience – I’ve won the fashion industry lotto,” Malik says.

Up against 362 competitors in seven different sections, Malik’s design stood out to industry leaders from top labels including World, Zambesi and Nom*D.

Judge and Chief Executive of label World Denise L’Estrange-Corbet was particularly impressed.

'It was just magic in its simplicity. It just goes to show a great cut and fabulous fabric makes a great garment - you don't have to overdo it,'' she told the Otago Daily Times.

CPIT’s fashion students excelled on the night, taking out five additional awards, including first in the Menswear section by second year student Ethel Chang.

To have so many students win awards is recognition of the quality of work produced at the school, CPIT Fashion Programme Leader Nicola Chrisp says. “All the awards the students received are just awesome for us. It shows that CPIT’s Fashion programmes are right up there and that we are doing what the industry wants.”

CPIT fashion students are sponsored by the Department of Creative Industries to enter the awards each year and can choose which section to enter. The fashion programme structure has been altered this year to allow students more flexibility in entering competitions - recognition can be a great start to their careers as Westpac Young Designer winner Georgia Currie has found in launching her label Georgia Alice. 

Additional awards by CPIT students were: third in Nightlife by Holly Agnew, second in Menswear by Cyrilla Eade, third in Menswear by Kelly Dwyer and second in Collections by Kelly Dwyer.

Photo caption:  Renuka Malik’s winning design on the catwalk conveyed simplicity and grace. Credit: Still Vision Photography

ENDS

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