SYDNEY: A New Zealand brand has trumped local competitors to take out a major category in the 2009 Fashion Exposed Debut awards.
Leather handbag and footwear label Lost Not Lonely was awarded the top accessory gong for its spring/summer 2009/10 range yesterday. Designer Sara Smeath's 'Lower Valley Locals' collection was inspired by her rural upbringing in New Zealand's northern region of Maromaku and her family's 50-year-old trucking business.
Its footwear offering included a range of chunky wedges, heels and cushioned sandals in dirty olives, browns, metallics, camels and off-whites while its handbag component featured heavily adorned pouches in burnt hues and dainty chain straps.
Judges for the biannual trade fair competition, which was staged at the Sydney instalment of Fashion Exposed yesterday morning, included Nine to Five magazine fashion writer Carla Caruso, Ragtrader magazine features editor Assia Benmedjdoub, Kreitals Consulting Group's Mary Gualtieri and Indie Art & Design director Carolyn Price.
Gualtieri, the former Sydney director of non-profit organisation Fashion Group International and a regular Debut judge, said Lost Not Lonely struck the "perfect mix" of comfort and contemporary design.
The Debut judges were equally impressed by apparel category winner Sebastian's Sister and Eternal Safari. The ACT-headquartered brand was described as having a modern Japanese aesthetic with draped and deconstructed dresses, blouses and skirts in wools, cottons and bamboos.
Designers Francesca Altenburg and Gemma Jameson founded the label just last year with their 'Moods, Moments and Ideas' range currently on show at Fashion Exposed.
Debut is an awards program aimed at recognising new and emerging talent with entrants judged on originality, innovation, execution, marketability and 'wow factor'. Fashion Exposed will run at the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Centre until tomorrow.