If you're into fashion, chances are the name Debra Laraman rings a bell. She's an author, an academic and she's won some of New Zealand's top design awards, including Supreme Designer at Westfield Style Pasifika.
Debra is the force behind Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's award-winning fashion design team. She's also a
big advocate for traditional craft and is enjoying the resurgence of eco-friendly material and practices on the catwalk.
"I've knitted, stitched and made my own garments since I was a child," says Debra. "All of my garments tend to feature aspects of craft techniques which are re-contextualised, producing a fashion-forward but individual aspect to my designs."
Debra's passion has seen her create "recipes" to teach techniques for creating stunning, individualised pieces. They're presented in such a way that the average person can quickly and easily master the technique and, more importantly, build the confidence needed to inspire personal creativity.
"This is design created for real people - not something written in a foreign language devoid of passion and creativity, which is how traditional 'patterns' are often perceived," Debra says.
The philosophy behind Debra's recipes is to teach a method that is adaptable.
"It's not an exact science and you should feel free to make mistakes, and even incorporate these into the final product. In fact, there is no such thing as a mistake!"
Debra is bringing her talent to the public through her Hooked on Design exhibition and workshop at The Kestrel at the Edgewater Fan, Tauranga. Running from today to Saturday, June 18, the exhibition will feature a number of Debra's original garments, including her award-winning bridal entry from the 2010 Westfield Style Pasifika Awards, and her winning 2010 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards wool entry.
To inspire your inner fashionista, you can attend Debra's free workshop today. Drop in any time from 12.30-4pm and learn to create your own piece to spice up your winter wardrobe. Debra will be demonstrating her popular crafted flower-brooch technique and will discuss patterns for easy-to-make pieces.
For more information, contact Debra at debra.laraman@boppoly.ac.nz or phone 027 365 4077.
