Here was a chance to put Northland design in the same room as the Nom*D brand - albeit, the Nom*D stuff will be not be strutted on the catwalk. 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".
"It will be culturally relevant to Northland," Hornell adds. "Nom*D is a South Island icon known for promoting local materials, style inspiration and flair.
"We're contrasting what we have, the mood of Northland, with what Nom*D is famous for."
Whangarei's homegrown talent, art history, helping create an oncology unit for Northlanders, and - gosh - swanning around in the presence of Nom*D but ...
"It's sometimes hard to inspire people here to just get out and do something," Hornell sighs a week before Project Promise; Project Runway will be staged.
"So I just put the hard word on them. I phone them and say 'you're going to do it'. I'm really big on promoting us as a region. Any opportunity to put local talent and flair to the fore, I take it."
Hornell and McKay, who have years of experience with fashion and/or hair events, peel with laughter over the times they've spotted a likely model in, say, the supermarket and followed her around, looking her up and down.
"She's probably thinking, 'oh, god, what's going on here'," Hornell laughs.
Generally everyone who has been shoulder-tapped to take part in the current show are thrilled to be involved, McKay says.
"Especially this one as it's associated with Nom*D and that's so fabulous, but also Project Promise which is a wonderful local charity.
"It's an honour to be part of such an important cross-over of art and fashion."
The designers are Jackie Stoddart, Tracey Harvey, Melanie Thomas, Jess Foot and Sarah Morris, and many other individuals and companies have donated gear and time.
McKay and Hornell had a winner before they started. They're relishing the fun of Project Promise; Project Runway but, individually or working together, they've organised training seminars, industry competitions, other shows, and more.
McKay is the Kerastase elite specialist at her workplace, and has several industry accolades to her name. Hornell is recognised as a future industry leader, currently a L'Oreal Professional representative and Northland ambassador for NITO, the national hairdressing training organisation.
He and McKay are working with a creative team of about 12 people to stage Project Promise; Project Runway, and doing the hair.
"We're going to disconnect from the 'look' of the designers' collections and do our own thing. There's no 'we want 10 of these looks so please do it'," Hornell says
McKay adds: "Really, it's all about the designers showing their collections and we're designing hair quite apart from those clothes. It's not going to be all matchy-matchy."
In fact, it's going to be a little wild - energetic, styley, a little avant garde, and full of Northland flair.
Project Promise; Project Runway, Whangarei Art Museum, Wednesday February, 1, 5.30pm. Tickets $20 from Whangarei Art Museum or Addiction Hair Salon
