Liam Bowden (left) and Vicki Taylor (right)
Designers Liam Bowden (Deadly Ponies) and Vicki Taylor (Taylor) take their place in the history of the MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards, joining an impressive line-up of iconic New Zealand designers who have played a role in helping celebrate up-and-coming designers.
The two new judges join Steve Dunstan (founder of Huffer) in judging amateur fashion designers, many of whom are likely to go on to enjoy exciting careers in the industry.
2023 marks the 35th anniversary of the MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards, cementing its achievement as the longest-running fashion design awards of its type in New Zealand.
Held in Gore on 28 and 29 July, the awards are firmly established as a key event on the national fashion calendar and continue to attract entries and interest from throughout New Zealand.
Since 1988, the awards have been a competitive platform for all aspiring fashion designers to showcase their designs in front of well-regarded industry leaders.
Over previous years, the judging panel has included Karen Walker, Nic Blanchet, Francis Hooper, Trelise Cooper, Kate Sylvester, Liz Findlay, Doris Du Pont and Margi Robertson (of NOM*d), Juliette Hogan, Rachel Easting and Anjali Burnett(of Twenty Seven Names) and Kathryn Wilson.
“We are incredibly lucky to have such a stellar line-up of industry leaders sit on the judging panel this year,” says Jacqui McKinney, MLT Hokonui Fashion Design Awards Convenor/Chair.
“They each bring with them a unique perspective, along with extensive industry knowledge. We continue to be proud of the award’s long, rich history of supporting emerging designers.”
Entries are open until 7 June and tickets to the two evening shows will be available from 5 July.
The School section winners will be announced at the MLT Hokonui Strictly Design Evening on 28 July, with the Open section winners announced at the MLT Hokonui Gala Awards Evening on 29 July.
Mackersy Property Open Collections Winner & MLT Award of Excellence
Designed by Sheetol Chawla, Auckland University of Technology
Images Still Vision Photography