The Tai Tokerau Artisan Fashion Trust
The trust was founded in 2021 to take over the great work organising the Northland Fashion Awards, previously owned by The Rotary Club of Whangarei South. The trust has a vision to:
- Foster the creative aspirations of youth in Tai Tokerau Northland
- Facilitate pathways towards a creative arts career focused on fashion and design
- Foster Māori and Pacifica cultural fashion that supports and empowers tangata whenua
- Facilitate and run fashion-based events in Tai Tokerau Northland, primarily focussed on, but not limited to, youth
- Support schools across Tai Tokerau Northland to incorporate fashion and design into their textile programmes, and thereby foster entry into fashion events
To turn the vision into reality the trust has a long-term goal of developing a kete of events, with the aim of a fashion week, culminating in the Bernina Northland Fashion Awards as a flagship event that becomes a “must-attend” on the Northland calendar. Engaging schools across Tai Tokerau Northland to incorporate fashion and design into their textile programmes, and thereby foster entry into fashion events is key to achieving this goal.
The trust recognises that fashion and design is an international multi-billion dollar industry, and that enabling tamariki to discover and hone their creative ability can lead them to an amazing career and/or business pathway. The trust is humbled that previous awardees of the event have gone on to do just that.
With strong relationships across a number of Northland schools, we are able to tap into the creative youth in our region. Textile teachers can access advice and resources to guide and encourage students to enter, and undertake a successful design and creation process.
We also have strong relationships with Creative Northland, The Design School, NorthTec and specialist fashion groups who provide a wider pool of potential entrants, adults included.
A key driver for the trust, is for the entrants to develop design and create skills, that will enable them to pursue further learning and career opportunities, and hence the event process is designed to challenge and develop their skills appropriately.
