Rotorua designer excited to see her garments on international pageant stage

A Rotorua designer is excited to see her gown come to life on the stage of an international pageant.

Auckland-based Brooke Houia is going to the Philippines this month to represent New Zealand in the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant.

She will be wearing a gown by Rotorua designer Jo Sloan of Sloan Range Clothing in the pageant.

Jo says it feels pretty amazing to have such a beautiful girl wear something she has created.

She says Brooke won the Miss Asia Pacific International New Zealand 2018 title wearing her gown, and Brooke has worn her gowns a few times.

However, this will be the first time Jo has had a gown worn at an international pageant.

Brooke says what she loves about Jo's gowns is they are made for you and that both of them had put ideas together.

Jo, originally from Christchurch, has been a designer for 34 years and has been based in Rotorua for five.

She is going to follow Brooke's journey and will be heading overseas to see Brooke and her gown onstage.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the end product. Seeing it in my lounge is nothing like seeing it onstage or on the catwalk.

"When you've got the make-up and hair done, and the shoes and it fits just right, that's what is satisfying.

"You don't want to be the same as everybody else, you have to really push to find something different."

Brooke's gown for the international pageant is a pāua shell colour, with a bit of royal blue, and has 12,000 crystals on it.

Brooke says the pageant journey has been amazing, hard work, action-packed and fun.

At the international pageant she will be competing in a range of sections, including swimsuit, national costume, evening gown and Q&A.

"I'm looking forward to meeting all the girls from different countries and getting to learn more about their country."