WALKING sculptures of cloth and brilliant colour lit up the catwalk at the Wagin District High School last Friday during the APEX Fashion Awards.
“It’s a part of a course which we run here but it’s also part of a national competition,” organiser and visual arts teacher Shaun Vandenburg said.
“We host an event on behalf of APEX Australia so we run the regional heat here in Wagin and Katanning and Narrogin senior high schools.
“The students who get selected from the regional heat as the best in their categories go through to a state final in Perth in two weeks.
“If they’re the top two in the state finals they go through to the national finals in Melbourne in October.”
From Wagin 12 students entered the competition and 11 Katanning students with one Narrogin student formerly a Wagin District High School pupil.
Five local students out of the 23 competing, went through to the state finals in Perth - Sage Edwards of Narrogin SHS and Zali Spencer, Jayde Andrews, Shakira Buck and Kolbi Edwards of Wagin DHS as well as three students from Katanning.
There are four categories in total with students in this competition entering the two visual art categories.
“They create the theme that they want, they can make wearable art or make a garment about society or environmental issues,” Mr Vandenberg said.
“The other two are technical sewing categories.”
“The kids here entered the art categories, so its more about sculpture and non-conventional sewing.”
Students started work on their projects at the start of the school year.
As well as parading their work the students had to write a description about it and select music to go with the garment so it matches the theme.
“They make it, they model it. It’s about the kids having an experience. They basically put together the whole event,” Mr Vandenberg said.
“It’s a really good opportunity.”
