New Zealand Week Gala Night 2013: New Zealand and Malaysian Emerging Fashion Design Join Forces Virtually to Design Collections

Four outstanding outfits presented by the winning team, Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid from Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), New Zealand and Kathryn Lagrosa Rao from Raffles College of Higher Education, Malaysia

  

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) held a fashion show themed “Virtual Re-Start Fashion Competition” to celebrate New Zealand Week in Malaysia from 11th to 15th March. The competition featured the launch of fashion collections designed by top Malaysian and New Zealand of Higher fashion design students.

Winners, (from left to right) Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid and Kathryn Lagrosa Rao,
and their models on the catwalk

The collections were designed as part of Virtual Re-Start Fashion Competition organised by Education New Zealand with students from both Malaysia and New Zealand. The teams had worked virtually to create collections which was paraded during the Gala Dinner. 5 Malaysia college are from LimKokWing University, Raffles College of Higher Education, Malaysian Institute of Arts, TAR College and PJ College of Art & Design. This competition aimed to foster and grow education relationships between Malaysia and New Zealand.

Close-up of winners, (from left to right) Kathryn Lagrosa Rao and Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid

“New Zealand and Malaysia’s top emerging fashion designers collaborated in a fashion competition to celebrate New Zealand Week and create stronger links in international education, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, New Zealand Minister for Economic Development and Higher Education”, Hon. Steven Joyce said.

The top three winning teams were:

First place winners Rao and Ratcliff-Reid are delighted to receive their prize money
of NZD 10,000 (From left to right) Dato’ Jimmy Choo, Minister Joyce, Kathryn Lagrosa Rao, and Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid

First place winners: Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid from Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), New Zealand and Kathryn Lagrosa Rao from Raffles College of Higher Education (formerly known as LaSalle International Design School), Malaysia. 

First Runner Up receives the mock cheque for NZD 5,000 (from left to right) Dato’ Jimmy Choo and Minister Joyce, Melissa McIndoe, and Liew Chee Yeng

Second place winners: Melissa McIndoe, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), New Zealand and Liew Chee Yeng, Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA), Malaysia

Second Runner Up receives the mock cheque for NZD 3,000 from (from left to right) Dato’ Jimmy Choo and Minister Joyce, Hannah Shand and  Moto Keek Wen Han

Third place winners: Hannah Shand, Massey University, New Zealand and Moto Keek Wen Han, Raffles College of Higher Education, Malaysia

"It’s great to see New Zealand institutions partnering with Malaysian counterparts and giving students in both countries the opportunity to work together to create some outstanding pieces for the fashion show. This is another example of innovation in our tertiary education sector to help foster and grow education relationships with other countries and we look forward to welcoming more Malaysian students to New Zealand"  said Mr. Joyce