SYDNEY: David Lawrence has teamed up with TAFE NSW with the aim of "giving back to the fashion community".
For the third year running, the womenswear retailer has joined with TAFE NSW's acclaimed Fashion Design Studio to offer students the opportunity of a year long design mentorship.
Stage two student Cristina Rodi has been announced as the winner of the 2010 mentorship, with her second year project catching the eye of the judges.
The paid mentorship will see Rodi working one to two days per week alongside the David Lawrence design team as she completes her third year of study.
David Lawrence national operations and marketing manager, Holly Martin, was emphatic in her praise of the young designer.
"Cristina has an absolute passion and enthusiasm for design which shone through in her interview with the David Lawrence designers.
"The project she completed to make the finals presented on trend but with a clear understanding of the who the customer she was designing for, which is crucial for the work she will undertake next year.
"We at David Lawrence look forward to mentoring Cristina at the start of her career," Martin said.
As part of the selection process for the program, all stage two students at the Fashion Design Studio were asked to sketch a directional tailored collected of 40 - 50 pieces with the David Lawrence customer in mind. A design panel from the Webster Holdings label assessed the submissions and selected Rodi as the winner.
The mentorship program is arranged in conjunction with Fashion Design Studio head teacher Nicholas Huxley. Previous winners include Christian Lines and Juliet Austin.
Rodi will also receive a $500 David Lawrence voucher as part of her prize.