Paraparaumu College wins most awards at wearable arts competition

From back left, Holly Popham, Isla Rountree, Ally Fellows, Annabelle Connolly, Sophie Pound. From front left, Catherine Lagarde and Xiah Nesbitt. Photo / Grace Odlum

Several schools from around the country sent students to the National Toi Showquest wearable arts competition in Manawatū last month, but Paraparaumu College came out on top.

Paraparaumu College sent 20 students to the competition, five placed in the top 10, and another two received highly commended awards.

The college received the most awards out of any school in the country.

All the students’ work on the pieces was extracurricular, and done outside school, so the college’s arts coordinator, Hannah Isberg, said she didn’t even see any of their artwork until the day of the competition.

“The ideas they came up with, and how they could use materials was amazing.”

Catherine Lagarde and Holly Popham chose to create a piece inspired by cathedrals and stained glass, which they called Of Stone and Glass.

Their creation was loved by the judges and placed first in the structures category, and third overall.

Isla Rountree chose to take a sustainable approach to her design and went around different stores in Kāpiti and collected old records.

The dress she made was covered in different records, and she named it Analogue Rebel.

The piece landed her in the top 10, and she also received the sustainable garment award.

Image 1 of 6: Paraparaumu College students model their artworks in Manawatu". Photo/Supplied

When Ally Fellows was creating her design, she was inspired by the stories of Maui, and added features to her piece that represented his hook, when he pulled up the stingray-shaped island, and more.

She named the piece Tumatarau Matika and received a highly commended award.

Xiah Nesbitt also created a Pacific-themed piece, and called it Maui me te Raa.

Nesbitt’s piece was also in the top 10 and placed first in the stories of the Pacific category.

Annabelle Connolly was inspired by book pages when she created her piece, named Wrapped Up.

Her dress placed in the top 10.

Birds and musical notes were Sophie Pound’s inspiration when she created her piece, called Songbird.

Songbird received a highly commended award.

The students received a variety of prizes, including sewing machines, certificates, and prize packs with small goodies like keychains.

The school’s extracurricular arts director, Natalie Taiaki, said at last year’s show the catwalk was cancelled and the whole show was “dulled down”.

“Last year was a bit funny, because we didn’t have the actual show – we just had photos,” Fellows said.

“But this year it was so fun.”