NTeen Fashion Festival

Socks will be knocked off! Wonder will be struck! So says founder Jo-anna Egart of this year’s NTeen Fashion Festival, where young designers and makers show off their skills to each other, their friends and a crack panel of judges.

She hasn’t seen the designs yet of course, but going on all the years past, Egart knows to expect the unexpected.

In an era of cheap, fast fashion and lightening-quick trends, the fashion festi- val is a testament to the creativity and ability of teenagers, with teen design- ers travelling from as far as Alice Springs to parade their sewing and designs.

“They were knocking people’s socks off last year, so I just say be prepared for something wonderful. They’re capable of wonderful, wonderful things,” says Egart.

Some young designers have been working on garments to enter into the festi- val for six months, others will smash them out in a week, says Egart. All show their clothes on a catwalk, with the garments’ technical composition judged before the show.

“Through the process of creating a design they have to problem solve,” says Egart.

“When they come to the event, if they get anxious, then we encourage them to assert themselves and work with us to find a model for them.” 

The leading design and the runner-up in each category will go on to represent the NT at the Apex Australia Teenage Fashion and Arts (AATFA) Youth Festival National Final in Perth.

With categories including wearable art, formal wear, casual wear and the ‘ris- ing star’ show for primary school-aged kids who’ve made any kind of garment, this year’s fashion fest is bound to impress not only the judges. 

See the event listing.