Designer pushes boundaries

Hawke's Bay fashion designer Will Fincham has designed a yellow silk dress for the second annual Resene Fashion Tech's Colour of Fashion Collection to be shown at NZ Fashion week. Photo / Supplied

You've heard of painting the town red - well Hawke's Bay designer Will Fincham aims to paint the runway yellow.

The 27-year-old pushes fashion boundaries and Kiwi women's comfort zones with a unique creation of daffodil-coloured silk.

Resene Fashion Tech's Colour of Fashion Collection is set to go on show at New Zealand Fashion Week next month for the second year running. A project built on innovation, it explores fresh, eye-catching ways to bring fashion paint colours to life, while giving up-and-coming designers a chance to showcase their talent.

For Fincham it was a chance to test his skill with a complex pattern featuring 176 pieces.

He described the dress as, "a combination of sunshine and daffodils" with a distinctively youthful aspect, contrasting graceful movement with structural design.

"I've always enjoyed learning new ideas, and making such a bold garment really gave me the opportunity to learn a great deal about myself ..."

Years of performing for the Napier Operatic Society saw him watching seamstresses with keen interest, but it was a teacher who encouraged him to pursue fashion.

"Being a theatrical person and gaining insight into various characters really helps me be inspired ..." Mr Fincham put his early successes down to a positive support network, but he wasn't done shooting for the stars - an internship at Dior was the next career goal.

Diploma students from NZ Fashion Tech based in Auckland and Wellington created 10 eye-catching looks using hand-woven saris as part of their course work. The result culminates in four Resene Designer Selection public shows at New Zealand Fashion Week on Wednesday, August 26.

"Audiences will see a very cool collision of Resene's new-season paint colours, exciting young designers with no creative limitations and the colour imaginings of India ..." Resene marketing manager Karen Warman said.

In a new twist judges will select a winning creation to be revealed on August 26, awarding the designer a slot at ID Dunedin Fashion Week in March next year.