INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to New Zealand's premier Fashion Awards - Westfield Style Pasifika 2009. An iconic event on our nation's annual calendar, the Awards is recognised for launching some of this country's finest design and performance talent and showcasing New Zealand's raw and indigenous style. The show is a potent mix of traditional and contemporary fashion, music and dance featuring up to 200 of the country's most exciting Pacific entertainers. Watched by a live audience of thousands and a television audience in the hundreds of thousands, Westfield Style Pasifika has become a highly anticipated event by designers and audiences alike.
We are excited once again to be at Vector Arena, New Zealand's largest indoor events centre . The contemporary surrounds and larger site has inspired an entirely new offering for stage and lighting design that will delight audiences.
As always the event attracts a dynamic range of designs from throughout New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. Each year it never fails to astound us with the diversity in backgrounds, ages and nationalities of designers that enter the competition - from young design students through to those with established labels, high schools students through to grandmothers. The show truly is all-inclusive and provides designers with an invaluable platform to showcase their talent.
Supreme Award Nadessha Godamunne with Meegan Webster, Prime Minister John Key, Justin Lynch & Stan Wolfgramm
Supreme Winner Nadeesha Godamunne
Now in its 16th year it is supported by the non-profit Pasifika Fashion & Arts Trust and produced by Drum Productions Ltd. For the last seven years one of the founding members of the trust, Stan Wolfgramm has been the producer/ artistic director of the Style Pasifika event. Style Pasifika began in 1993 as a joint venture between Auckland City and the South Pacific Islands Nations Development Association (S.P.I.N.D.A.) With international interest now growing in all things Pacific, Westfield Style Pasifika highlights the fashion and entertainment talent that makes this region of the world so special.
Flava 96.1 Urban Pasifika St Wear Winner Shenade Smith with Pete Marsden & Stan Wolfgramm
Runner Up to Supreme Award Shenade Smith
Today the 10 categories of the show reflect the uniqueness of Westfield Style Pasifika: Painted Body Art; Traditionally Inspired; Asia Pasifika; Pasifika Hero; Pasifika 3-Piece Collection; Urban Pasifika Streetwear;Pasifika Menswear; Pasifika Evening Wear; Pasifika Bridal; and Parent and Child.
Two new categories were introduced in 2003 - Asia Pasifika which reflects the Asian Pacific influences in New Zealand; and the Pasifika Hero category - a broader celebration and acknowledgement of the 3rd gender so common in the pacific and a part of New Zealands gay community.
We are also excited to announce that Westfield NZ Ltd will provide two of our designers with a Westfield Business Scholarship which will see them mentored and supported in all aspects of business. This is an invaluable package that was instigated to ensure our designers received all the support they needed to succeed in the competitive fashion industry.
Kerrie Williams
Maddie Glibert
Kelly TorreyWestfield Style Pasifika is a geographical reference to what is distinctive and special to this region of the world. The show encompasses garments, cultural performances and Pacific pride. It is multicultural and inclusive of all communities making it a uniquely New Zealand show - "like no other show on earth."