Two top fashion awards for Chch designer

Press, 4 October 1977, Page 36

Two top fashion awards for Chch designer

From

LEONE STEWART,

in Wellington

When a really bright light appears on the fashion scene in New Zealand it is a delightful discovery. So it is with Maritza Tschepp, a young designer now working in Christchurch, who has won the 1977 Benson and Hedges Supreme Award trophy, and the $750 Gown of the Year Award.

] When the awards were ; presented at the Wellington Town Hall last evening it ‘was a night for young, tal- ' ented woman designers. Miss Tschepp’s romantic, shimmering gown of gold, satin-striped organza chiffon, the blouson bodice shirred and braided, the layered skirt showing a beautiful petticoat of gold lace, repeated in the shawl, was not I the only double-award-win-ning garment. ' Denise Fleming, aged 23, ( who designs for the Pru Fischer label of Jenny Vaughan Fashions Ltd, in Auckland, also won two top awards with a single entry. Her elegant, rust, wooltweed cloak, its draw-string neckline framing the face, swirled over a neat, sleeveless jacket striped in earthy shades. And the most appealing part of all — a soft, black, wool georgette dress gently gathered for very French chic. This entry won Miss Fleming the women’s day wear award, ■and the special Wool Board Trophy for the most out- | standing woollen fashion garment entered. But among a lot of rapidly-developing and maturing talent this year, Maritza Tschepp stood out. She was highly commended in both the women’s daywear and young designers’ awards.

Her designs have both a sense of theatre, of the colour and intensity of drama, and a sense of fun. A sensitive feel for fabric allows her to do the unusual without being too outlandish. Ml are qualities that have much potential for development and refinement. Now working as a freelance designer in Christchurch, Miss Tschepp hopes to go overseas to study fashion next year. It would be a worth-while investment for this country. Both Maritza Tschepp and Denise Fleming are former ; students of the Wellington Polytechnic Design School, j Maritza Tschepp completed i the course last year. Her (mother, Mrs Majory (Tschepp, is a fashion designer in Oamaru, and her o f f-the-shoulder, layered chiffon dress with harem; pants was a delightful entry among the 33 designs in the Gown of the Year.

Denise Fleming graduated from the design school four years ago. and joined Jenny Vaughan fashions — longtime award winners — earlier this year, after working in the fashion industry in Britain and Europe. Another young Aucklander, Susan Holmes, was highly commended few each of her entries in the Gown of the Year, the daywear, and the sportswear sections. Her delicate screen printing

is a joy, combining the natural elements of earth, sky, clouds, and sea that are so much part of New Zealand life, with a highly developed subtlety. FINESSE Finesse is one of the definitive elements of today’s fashion. Even the most extroverted of ethrtic looks need to be artful, subtly managed. New Zealand’s most creative designers are fast developing in that direction. In a competitive collection such as this there is little that could be called a trend in any section. However, this year’s awards seemed closer to the mainstream of fashion thinking, while still expressing individuality. The blouson line was evident, along with softly layered or gathered dresses, narrower . pants, and snappy shorts 'and playsuits in sportswear. Some of the designers, however, still show signs of I finding it difficult to come to grips with feminity for 1 the seventies. It has much more to do with being at ease with one’s natural self Than being all dressed up. If there was one statement made in a fascinatingly varied collection of 114 entries — selected from 300 — it was that New Zealand design is now much more assured. This was especially evident in the daywear, which came into its own this year. But it was the young j designers and sportswear (sections in which the judges; — Carla Zampatti, a Sydney designer, and Mr Andrew Stevens — must have had the most difficulty separating the wirtners. Although Peta Carseldine, of (Pzazz, must have been unI lucky not to be among the highly commended in the (Gown of the Year. Film star 'style, “Glam” of the grand (entrance type is no longer part of our style, and i designing interesting yet unpretentious gowns is a great I challenge. Miss Zampatti was pleas- ! antly surprised at the variety of styles and originality in treatment of fabrics (throughout the awards. Very few obvious copies of overseas designs appeared, but she advised the young designers particularly to strive for simplicity of line. “It is important to emphasise the beauty of good fabric without overworking it,” she said. Miss Zampat and Mr Stevens agreed that the winning garments by Maritza Tschepp and Denise Fleming) were the outstanding entries.! Both had totally captured

I the fashion image of today, i This was also true of the ; winning entry in the new (section for handcrafted wool i : fashion, a joint entry by I i Pauline Warrington (spinner, ]i (weaver, and knitter) of Wei-it (lington, and Mary Reynolds! i (designer), of Auckland. I The sleeveless, cardigan) (jacket covered a pinafore paced up the side in leather, I a neat hat and stockings! (were co-ordinated with the! 1 natural cream, hand-knitted 1 sweater. i j All were in handspun (wool and natural fleece col-J ourings, from Waikato and 1 (South Island Romney wools. ! (Nearly 100 entries were re-J ceived for the handcraft ‘ section, which amply ilius- ] trated the many-faceted talents of New Zealand i craftswomen. The standards < of both design and craft ! were very high. ( One of the three highly- ] ; commended certificates went;< ito Mrs E. M. Mayne, aged)] (72, of Mangonui. Northland,!! who expressed her thanks toil (the sponsors for “allowing] ;me to have so much fun.”] j Her stylish, two-inches-| ] ! above-the-ankle-length win-!' ■ter dress with its own]] shawl, was woven from 1 (handspun Perendale wool. (< Margaret Milne, of Christ- I' church, who won a highly-' (commended in the women’s It daywear section last '

year, showed real fashion ■ panache with wool in all her entries, winning a highly-j commended for her lively) knickerbocker suit in the;. ] m e n ’ s and women’s) sportswear section. 1 Here there was a well-de-served win for the design] (team of Knight Tailors, of I ! Invercargill, for their per-1 fectly constructed woman’s! lamb suede jacket, and inter- ■ estingly detailed, check tweed trousers. ■ A fine feel for movement] won Gina Harrison, of Wei-1! lington, the Young Design- ! ers’ Award for her pleated, swinging, purple and lilac tweed cape, and soft, aqualana, smock suit. I RESULTS Each of the awards carriesI 1 a $750 cheque. The results]! of the judging , were: Supreme Award Trophy and Gown of the Year Award, Maritza Tschepp, Christchurch; highly commended, Leonard Derecourt, Tauranga; Susan Holmes, Auckland, and Louise Kinred, Paeroa. Women’s Daywear Award, Denise Fleming, for Jenny Vaughan Fashion, Auckland; highly commended, Susan Holmes, Auckland, Linda Cory, Wellington, Maritza Tschepp, Christchurch. Men’s and Women’s Sportswear Award, Knight Tailors’ Design Team, In-

I vercargill; highly commended, Margaret Milne, (Christchurch, Susan Holmes, (Auckland, Diane Imlach, Auckland. Young Designers’ Award ■ (under 25), Gina Harrison, ' Wellington; highly com- ] mended, Maritza Tschepp, | Christchurch, Lorraine j Goodrick, Wellington, Apul Chaplin, Auckland. The New Zealand Wool Board Trophy, Denise Fleming, Auckland. Woolgrowers’ Award for i Handcrafted Wool Fashion (($750 donated by the New Zealand Wool Board), Pauline Warrington, Wellington, ‘ and Mary Reynolds, Auckland; highly commended, i Gudde Moller, Hamilton, i iMrs E. M. Mayne, of Mang-, onui, Northland, and June Mercer, Palmerston North, j