Briefed to design and make a striking and beautiful fashion look that would turn heads in any fashion capital of the world, this year's crop of graduating fashion professionals was also asked to find their inspiration close to home - in nature, in the tones of the earth and in their own worlds.

The spiral of a snail shell, the 'tingle' feeling of the forest, twisting vines clinging to a forgotten forest hut, pōhutukawa flowers, the plumage of a kererū, the sun, and the Matariki star cluster have all found a place in the thinking of nineteen young designers completing a three-year diploma in fashion technology at Whitecliffe.

And just released colours like Resene Very Berry, Resene Coconut Ice, Resene Kombucha and Resene Grape Escape further stimulated the students' appetite for boundary-pushing design.

It's the 9^th Resene Colour of Fashion with Whitecliffe, a project that has seen hundreds of fashion students in their final year get a taste of the exciting, challenging and rewarding world of fashion; a project that spans nine years.

Lights, cameras, models and a top-level judging panel, including Doris de Pont, are all part of the experience these talented young people enjoy on Judging Day.

The judges select a short-list of finalists, and from those looks a winner.

Whitecliffe Chairman Feroz Ali says: "We value this partnership with Resene, which will soon reach its ten year milestone. Each year, Resene Colour of Fashion offers our students an incredible opportunity to showcase their skills to their families, friends and also their future employers.

"Our students, their tutors and all of our staff at Whitecliffe have shown tremendous resilience, tenacity and passion for their craft while navigating the twists and turns of tertiary education during a pandemic," he says.

Karen Warman of Resene says: "We love giving young people a chance to explore their creativity with colour and to experience this aspect of the fashion industry before they embark on their careers.

"The high quality of design the students have brought this year's project is showstopping. Resene is proud to support New Zealand's next generation of fashion talent and we look forward to the tenth year of Resene Colour of Fashion with Whitecliffe in 2023," she says.

Back stories: the first stitch

Mikayla Russell of Huntly remembers the sock monkey she made when she was seven. It was the first time she had sewn a stitch, and now she is presenting a stylish corset-style top and split-leg pantsuit with themes of lava from a volcano. The silk fabric is in Resene Amped, a hot lava shade of red.

Nina Stuart-Manning of Karori, Wellington, remembers removing some of the stuffing from her teddy bear as a six year old to make it softer. She still has the toy with evidence of the 'surgical' stitches she made as a child. On Friday Nina will present to the judges her world-class design – short jacket and shorts with distressed seams - in Resene Kombucha inspired by 'nature as the artist.'

And Summer-Joy Wilkinson of Army Bay, North of Auckland, still has the blanket-stitched elephant she made as a five year old. Summer-Joy's first piece of sewing nostalgia will be in her mind, as she presents her elegant long flowy skirt and cropped top with pleating detail. Her colour is Resene Off The Grid and the design carries themes of 'nature's flow, inner peace and wanderlust'.

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Resene Colour of Fashion with Whitecliffe

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Find out more about this project throughout the years...

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