here they are! the top ten finalists for the westpac young designer competition 2013

Words by Steven Fernandez. This is one of our favorites parts of New Zealand Fashion Week each year, getting to vote for and eventually view some of the most talented emerging designers New Zealand has to offer. The Westpac Young Fashion Designer Competition is a launch pad for students currently completing a New Zealand fashion-based tertiary course, or who have graduated within the last four years. The winner will receive a career-changing prize package that includes $5000, an internship at leading New Zealand fashion house Zambesi, plus dedicated Westpac business banking advice. Last year, 21-year-old Jack Hill, a Bachelor of Design (Fashion) student at Massey University in Wellington, came out on top after three rounds of judging and almost 10,000 public votes. In no particular order, here are the top ten finalists for this year…

1. Petra Benton, Auckland
2. Wynn Crawshaw, Te Puke
3. Grant Davy, Hamilton
4. Steve Hall, Wellington
5. Matt Hickmott, Wellington
6. Louella Huang, Auckland
7. Sean Kelly, Wellington
8. Ayla Rorvik, Wellington
9. Zoey Radford Scott, Wellington
10. Georgie Veitch, Wellington

LET THE VOTING BEGIN… Jump across to the official Facebook page of the Westpac Young Fashion Designer Compeittion, click the ‘Contests’ tab and cast one vote per day between now and Sunday 25^th August. The three young designers who amass the most public votes will travel to Auckland to present their collections in front of the judges during New Zealand Fashion Week. After a dramatic runway walk-off at the Westpac RED COLLECTION show, the winner will be announced live… This year’s judging panel is comprised of Zambesi menswear designer, Dayne Johnston; Fashion Features Editor of the New Zealand Herald’s Viva magazine, Zoe Walker; and our very own Tina Moore, Editor of REMIX Magazine.