Tauranga teen's designs to be showcased among top Kiwi designers

Tauranga teen Zoe Beck. Photo / Supplied

A Tauranga teenager's fashion designs will be showcased alongside top Kiwi designers in this year's New Zealand Fashion Week.

Zoe Beck, 17, will have her designs modelled alongside Trelise Cooper, Zambesi, Stolen Girlfriends Club and Andrea Moore at the week-long Auckland event which started today and runs until September 3.

The Year 13 Tauranga Girls' College student won the senior craft category of the Brother Design Stars Competition with her nature-themed headband which earned her selection into the NZ Graduate Show as part of fashion week.

Her fashion headpiece created with New Zealand ferns, flowers and sequined birds will be showcased on the NZ Fashion Week catwalk on August 30.

"I am very much looking forward to seeing everything come together on the runway at New Zealand Fashion Week," she said.

"My design is runway ready, bold, glamorous and uniquely me."

A Brother Design Star spokeswoman Tess O'Reilly said Ms Beck was a second-time Brother Design Star winner and was chosen to be part of the Graduate Show because of her well-executed and thought-out design.

"As a category winner, she stole the show coming out tops in her division," she said.

The Tauranga teen has also designed a menswear garment which will be showcased in the Walk the Line show on September 2 as part of fashion week.

Ms Beck said her latest design was inspired by minions and was something "completely new" for her.

"It will be unexpected," she said. "I decided to take a real risk and move away from what is safe and expected with menswear in NZ."

Ms Beck also wowed judges in last year's NZ Cultural Fashion section with her NZ tiki-inspired A-line dress and is no stranger to NZ Fashion Week having been a designer and model for the last three years.

"I really want to start my own fashion label," she said. "This year I am doing some more experimenting and discovering myself in terms of what I like to design."

She hoped to next year gain a mentor and begin to get her fashion line established.

"I am always being contacted by people wanting to buy my garments or to make something special for a specific event," Ms Beck said.

"Last year my garments were spotted being worn on the red carpet at Sydney Fashion Week."

Mum Donna Beck said her daughter had achieved so much success in such a short space of time and had worked extremely hard with her designs this year.

"She is always coming up with new ideas and gains inspiration from everything around her to think outside the square," she said.

"She certainly has a bright future ahead of her. I am immensely proud of her, not only for her achievements and success but also for remaining humble and true to herself."

ZOE BECK:
- Winner of the NZ Streetwear Fashion school section at the Hokonui Fashion Awards.
- South Waikato Wearable Arts awards category winner
- Bay of Plenty Sustainable Arts Awards, first place in the Wearable Arts Division and runner up the recycled fashion category.