BACKRangitoto College’s Year 11 Textile Technology designers delivered an extraordinary showcase at New Zealand Fashion Week’s Walk the Line competition where they demonstrated exceptional technique, storytelling, and sustainable craftsmanship on the national stage.
Taking top honors in the Avant-Garde category, Brooke Donald captivated judges with her winning piece, “Stung by Society”. Featuring a boned corset and a heavily layered skirt revealing honeycomb patterns, the garment explores the pressures of social media addiction, digital footprints, and online culture while advocating for teen cyber safety.
In the Innovation category receiving an Honorary Mention, Phoebe Willis brought sea-swept elegance to the runway with a nautical, couture-style creation. Her design repurposed marine materials where she utilised a fibreglass corset to represent a boat hull, recycled rope lacing for rigging, wetsuit fabric, and reclaimed sailcloth which combined her personal passion for sailing with sustainable fashion practices.
Tia Billinghurst wowed audiences with an intricate design inspired by Swan Lake and photographer Arthur Tress. Contrasting the elegance and deception of Odette and the black swan, her piece incorporated sharp black details, red accents, and fully removable wings to explore themes of truth and identity. In the Cultural Fashion category, Elsie Brown crafted a powerful statement piece using upcycled business suits. Pairing a structured formal top with traditional Māori-inspired elements, lace, and green fabric that represented pounamu, her design honored resilient leaders like Dame Whina Cooper and Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish whilst also raising awareness about the issue of textile waste.
Caitlyn Ashford presented an elegant evening gown in the Cultural Category. Inspired by the native Tūī bird. Celebrating her heritage, Caitlyn’s design incorporates a satin corset, colorful ruffled layers, a waistband of Scottish tartan she personally designed, and a fluffy korowai representing the Tūī’s white throat tufts which weave together a celebration of cultural diversity and identity. Her piece was modelled by Sydelle Malcolm.
Drawing inspiration from the drooping branches and lush leaves of a weeping willow tree, Taisiia (Taya) Gagen-Torn’s design embodied the Enchanted Earth category through its organic forms and natural colour palette. Her work incorporated sustainable practices which utilised leftover fabrics and recycled paper bags to create paper-mâché sculptural branches. Adorned with vines that mimic yellow branches and green leaves, the piece featured beaded strings that offered a conceptual interpretation of the tree’s enchanting quality, while the cone-shaped skirt and mossy circlet provided a regal finish that captured the power and divinity of the natural world.
Sara Yao’s two-toned design told a narrative of the relationship between the Moon and the Sun, inspired by the bond between her and her sister. It depicted how the Sun and Moon never truly saw eye to eye, yet were always intertwined and gravitationally bound in a complex celestial dance. The similarities between the two sides of the garment honoured their mutual understanding, while differing elements, such as the embroidered flowers present on the moon’s side but not the sun’s, acknowledged that their differences made the relationship special. The bond between the two transcended time, with the design bringing them together. Ultimately, the two sides balanced each other out, representing two unique halves making a perfect whole.
We celebrate the immense dedication and passion students have poured into their designs. These achievements are a testament to their individual creativity and tireless hard work. We would like to thank all family members, mentors, peers and teachers who championed their artistic journeys from initial concept to the runway.
