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Two rising fashion and design stars have taken out top honours in the 2013 Youthtown Creatifs Young Designer Awards – and it’s total Wellington sweep.

Thirteen-year-old Jessie Cartmel, of Seatoun, won the AUT Wearable Art Award with her ‘Family Tree’ mask, while 16-year-old Natasha Wall, of Masterton, took out the AUT Fashion Design Award with a Victorian-inspired ready-to-wear outfit.

Now in its second year, the Youthtown Creatifs Young Designer Awards invite talented young designers and creative artists, aged 13 to 18, to submit a wearable art or fashion design garment in categories sponsored by AUT University.

The AUT Wearable Art Award category asked designers to create a mask based on the theme ‘identity’ while the AUT Fashion Design Award brief was to create a ready-to-wear garment for any occasion.

Being named the Youthtown Creatifs Supreme Winner for the AUT Wearable Art Award category was an emotional experience for Jessie, whose inspiration for her mask came from her humble upbringing, and her quest to be an original designer.

“When I got the call I was so excited I cried,” Jessie said. “I’ve had a pretty tough first year at college but have found a lot of enjoyment making original things in soft materials that stand out and can’t be copied easily.

“It will be pretty exciting to see my mask being worn by a professional model in Auckland,” she adds.

One of the Youthtown Creatifs judges for the wearable art category is a TV presenter and leading designer, Fifi Colston. She described Jessie’s mask as innocent, inspiring and personality driven. “You can feel the nostalgia within this mask and how much she values her family life,” Colston said. “Her attention to detail and professional construction demonstrates huge promise for a young wearable art designer”.

Natasha’s entry in the AUT Fashion Design Award category was a “beautifully constructed” three-piece outfit influenced by the industrial revolution. She chose materials which reflect both current fashion trends and the Victorian era.

“I have always found the industrial revolution really interesting, especially the concept of change, from technology through to gender roles,” Natasha said.

“I found the Youthtown competition really challenging and I hope it will help me get into university where I want to study design and business,” Natasha said.

AUT Fashion Design Award judge, and AUT Head of Department (Fashion & Textiles),Andreas Mikellis, said Natasha’s design demonstrated attention to the design brief, was on trend and reflected a very sophisticated level of workmanship.

Natasha’s winning outfit includes a corset made from black floral material which is lined and boned, a black velvet cape with suede and stud detailing and brown suede trousers which ‘introduce the idea of change in attitude towards the role of gender in the Victorian era’.

Youthtown CEO, Paula Kearns, was impressed with the level of young talent bought to the fore through these national awards. “Along with their obvious talent, Jessie and Natasha have both clearly expressed their individual desire to follow a career path in the creative fields. It’s what this competition is all about”.

Both Supreme Winners of the Youthtown Creatifs Young Designer Awards have won a Brother ‘Innov-is 400’ computerised home sewing machine (value $999), two tickets to the AUT Rookie show and flights and accommodation in Auckland with a parent to accompany them. In Auckland they will participate in a professional photoshoot, a student-led tour of AUT’s Fashion & Textile department and will see their designs featured in AUT’s prestigious AD13 Art & Design Festival.

Tags: AUT Fashion Design Award, AUT Wearable Art Award, Youthtown Creatifs Young Designer Awards