The worlds of high fashion and art collided in spectacular style, and all for a good cause, in Whangarei last night with models taking to the catwalk at the Whangarei Art Museum.
The Project Promise Project Runway fashion show at the museum showcased the works of Whangarei fashion designers, Jackie
Stoddard, Tracey Harvey, Melanie Thomas, Jess Foote and Sarah Morris, in a glitzy display that wouldn't be out of place in some of the fashion centres of Europe.
But as well as raising money for Project Promise, which aims to collect $3 million in three years to build a new cancer treatment unit at Whangarei Hospital, the show also served as way of introducing three fashion-themed exhibitions at the museum.
Possibly most exciting for local fashionistas is the inclusion of Nom*D - The Art of Fashion, the exhibition which has inspired Joel Hornell and Andrea McKay, senior stylists at Whangarei hair salon Addiction, and a team from the museum to set up a catwalk, lights, music and action of last night's show.
Last night was a chance to put Northland design in the same room as the Nom*D brand and Hornell and McKay say the Northland designers' tribute to that fashion house will be along the lines of "that's what you do, this is what we do".