BRISBANE: Sydney TAFE graduate Christopher Dobosz has taken home the top prize in the 2010 Australian Fashion Graduate of the Year awards.
The former fashion student beat out 11 other nominees to take home a prize of $5000. The awards were staged as part of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane (MBFF).
Dobosz caught the judges' eyes with a womenswear collection inspired by Oscar Wilde's classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The 2010 judging panel included David Jones womenswear buyer David Bush, Sunday Mail fashion journalist Kellie Alderman, Brisbane couture designer Paul Hunt and Vogue online editor Damien Woolnough.
MBFF director Lindsay Bennett said the annual Australian Fashion Graduate of the Year awards offered students a platform to showcase their talent to the Australian public.
“The winners in the past have received much acclaim into an industry that is so difficult to break into and is seen as an invaluable opportunity to skyrocket their fashion careers,” Bennett said.
The 2008 winner of the award was Dion Lee, who this year staged a solo show at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. The 2009 winner was Soeli Pedrozo, also a former Sydney TAFE student.
The 11 other finalists in the 2010 awards were Danielle van Camp (UTS); Maggie Allingham (UTS); Ella Bailey (MSIT); Samantha Campbell (MSIT); Elliot Ward-Fear (Ultimo TAFE); Jeremy Gillis (QUT); Robyn Taggart (QUT); Jessica Knell (RMIT); Romayne Scott (RMIT); Louise Murer (Whitehouse Institute of Design); Melissa Smith (Whitehouse Institute of Design).