Freya Kardas with her award-winning jumpsuit.
It was three for three in 2018 for Cambridge Middle School at the HETTANZ (Home Economics and Technology Teacher’s Association of New Zealand) Student Fashion Awards – with CMS students winning the top two places in the Juniors’ division three years in a row.
This year it was Freya Kardas who took the first-place spot for her long jumpsuit, closely followed by Mackenzie Barnett with her jumpsuit receiving “highly commended” – formerly referred to as second place in the competition. The girls were part of a group of ten CMS students who have been working on garments throughout the year. Guest judges visited the school to select the top two for final judging, and those picks ended up being the best in the country for Year 7 and 8 students.
For her winning entry, a long navy and cream striped jumpsuit with a gold-buckled blue belt, Freya will receive a Bernina sewing machine, which she’s excited to start using for her own creations. The Year 8 girls were quite surprised with their victories, noting that all ten students in their creative textiles extension group made excellent garments. “We all helped each other,” said Mackenzie, who made a short jumpsuit with black and white squiggle fabric, matching black buttons and black rick-rack trim. “Once we got the hang of it, it was easy.”
The girls’ creative textiles teacher Catherine Bell said she couldn’t believe it when the school won the competition for the third year in a row. “I’m so thrilled for the girls,” she said. “They worked really hard, all of them, and worked really well as a team.”
Mackenzie Barnett with her highly commended jumpsuit.
