creative catwalk costumes

Hynds Pipes has already laid down a challenge for other businesses to try and beat them this year.

It is that time of year again when the Mahurangi community is invited to stir their creative juices and enter the annual Catwalk Arts wearable arts awards, raising money for Harbour Hospice. The event will be held at the Mahurangi College on Saturday August 26, with both a matinee and an evening performance.

This year’s categories are youth, families, open, wearable advertising, bizarre bras, what a drag and pimp my jacket.

Hospice community and event fundraiser

Emily Thomas says the long-running wearable arts competition is a highly entertaining show and a fantastic opportunity for creative minds.

“Catwalk Arts features fantastic creations by adults, children, families, businesses and community groups with a focus on recycling, re-using and re-purposing,” she says.

“By entering Catwalk Arts you can play a vital role in helping Harbour Hospice provide free palliative care services in our Warkworth/Wellsford community.”

Designers are encouraged to find creative ways to use materials found around the house. Previous entries have incorporated papier mache, plastic milk bottles, wood veneer, cassette tapes, chook netting and baling twine.

Entries will be judged by a panel of fashion, art and design experts and each category winner will receive a cash prize and a handmade Catwalk Arts tile from Morris & James.

Two of last year’s stand out entries were created by Wellsford School student Sophia Gilmour. Her costumes were Sluginker and Pukana.

Sophia says each costume cost around $50, which mostly went on hot glue sticks.

“I used lots of things which I found around home like old curtains, pool noodles, milk bottles and papier mache,” she says.

“The creative process – from drawing your first pictures, creating it and then performing – is so exciting. I love seeing my ideas come to life and there are great prizes, too!

“You need to be really motivated as a costume takes a lot of time. I usually start making mine at least three months before, but it’s heaps of fun … trust me! The whole experience is pretty amazing.”

Hynds Pipes entry All Pipes was also one of the eye-catching costumes in the wearable advertising category last year.

Warkworth branch manager Bruce Peden said the event was good fun, raised money for a great cause and had a good theme –recycling. He says the Hynds costume only cost about $10 and took about seven hours to construct.

Hospice is hoping more businesses will enter this year.

“It’s a good excuse to take the team or friends and family out for a night and a couple drinks,” Peden says. “Don’t take it too seriously, and look out because Hynds is going to win it this year.”