'Affogato' on the runway at The Oversew Fashion Awards 2015.
Upcycling is an increasingly popular movement in fashion and a welcome change from the fast fashion that often proliferates the high street. The Oversew Fashion Awards 2016 is about celebrating sustainable, innovation design in the fashion industry with all the creations on the runway made from pre-worn clothing with some new elements. It's held in Carterton in the picturesque Wairarapa, which you wouldn't usually associate with fashion, but the event is gaining in popularity and on 28th May upcoming designers from all over New Zealand, as well as overseas entries from France, UK and Australia will show their clever creations on the runway.
The definition of upcycling is 'to reuse materials to create a product of higher value or quality than the original materials' so with this in mind it makes perfect sense that the main partner sponsor of the event is Earthcare Environmental who are also passionate about raising the importance and awareness of reducing landfill. This year's event is the fourth show and has a 'Fire and Ice' theme with categories including: ‘Chillout’ – casual wear for playtime, ‘Fireworx’ – hot workwear, 'Hot night in the City’ – cool clothes for after 5 and ‘Wild and Woolly’ – fleecy delights (minimum 60% wool).
"Clothing tells a lot about a person, it represents how we feel about ourselves," says social media writer Molly Lewis. "By upcycling our clothes, it sends a powerful message to the world about who we are. With entrants transforming existing garments into improved masterpieces, it is contributing to the solution of diverting clothing from landfill." The competition is open to everyone over the age of 14 who want to recreate their preloved clothing into revamped, outstanding outfits with entries closing on 8th April.
Tickets go on sale from Eventfinda from 18th April.
Gladstone Vineyard People's Choice winner Kate Williams (left) with model Annabel Jerling.
Images by Masanori Udagawa