Changes in fashion award

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 15

Changes in fashion award

The Benson and Hedges Fashion Design Awards for 1984 will be contested in the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, on September 13.

A major change in the Format will enable manufacturers to submit portfolios of designs for selection for showing in a “Salute to New Zealand Fashion.” Each manufacturer may prepare designs for five to eight garments on a theme, and from those submitted the designs of 10 manufacturers will be made up for showing. The organisers be-

lieve that this will offer the industry’s leaders the opportunity to make “total statements” about fashion design, colour and co-ordina-tion, without being in a competitive situation. Each of the six awards for independent designers will carry a cash prize of $lOOO. These are the Leisure Lifestyle Award for active and spectator sportswear, casual daywear and playclothes for women; the High Fashion Daywear Award for suits, dresses, jacket-dresses for business or more formal wear for the 80s woman; the

After Five High Fashion Award, for cocktail, theatre and evening wear; the Woolgrowers' Award for Handcrafted Wool Fashion; the Helena Rubinstein Young Designer of the Year Award; and the Wool Award, presented by the New Zealand Wool Board. The Benson and Hedges Supreme Award will go to the garment considered the most outstanding. The awards will be coordinated and presented by an Auckland promoter. Mavsie Bestall-Cohen.

The judging panel will meet in August to select garments for nomination for the awards, and the final judging will take place in Wellington.

The presentation will feature a parade of highlights from those entries not selected for nomination, followed by the introduction of the nominated garments and the announcement of the winning entries. The "Salute to N.Z. Fashion” will be a highlight of the evening.