Teen designer Sofia Stoelhorst makes Cairns Fashion Week debut

Two weeks after being cleared to walk the runway by her physiotherapist, Cairns Fashion Week’s youngest designer made her event debut. How she made it a success.

Two weeks after being cleared to walk the runway by her physiotherapist, Cairns Fashion Week’s youngest designer made her event debut.

Cairns teenager Sofia Stoelhorst walked her first Cairns Fashion Week runway in the event’s inaugural Innovation Awards category, and was named second runner up.

Miss Stoelhorst said the green, lace number was only the second dress she had ever made and was completely different from her original design.

“I had a completely different design idea in mind and then I was looking in a fabric shop in Brisbane for my initial design,” Miss Stoelhorst said.

“I saw the green lace and I just fell in love, so, I completely changed my design and just bought the stuff in the shop and then everything came together.”

Sofia Stoelhorst, 15, was awarded second runner up in the Cairns Fashion Week Innovation Award. As a result of her win she got to model her own design on the fashion week runway, becoming the youngest model and youngest designer in the show amongst international models and designers. Picture: Brendan Radke

Miss Stoelhorst, a student at Trinity Anglican School, is no stranger to the spotlight, having modelled since she was a child.

“I’ve been modelling with (Platinum Model Management) since I was around eight and I’ve been doing a little bit of modelling, mostly commercial work since then,” she said.

“I haven’t really done much runway stuff before but last year I worked at fashion week in the crew as a VIP usher and dresser.”

Sofia’s mother Helen Stoelhorst said the opportunity to design and create the dress helped to keep her occupied while recovering from a netball-induced knee injury.

“With Sofia being offline with her knee, the sewing has helped to keep her motivated,” Ms Stoelhorst said.

Cairns model Sofia Stoelhorst showcases her own design from the CFW Innovation Award in the runway show of Cairns Fashion Week, held at the Screen Queensland studios. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Stoelhorst said she was grateful to fashion week organisers Jade and Donna Turnbull for giving Sofia the opportunity to create and model her dress.

“Around one of the school holidays, Donna gave Sofia a couple pieces of fabric and said to go home and make a Halloween outfit – doesn’t matter if you glue or sew or sticky tape the pieces together,” Ms Stoelhorst said.

“Sofia said no I’ll do something better. I’m going to make a dress, and it didn’t take her all that long.

“That’s when Donna and Jade looked at it and went wow, this has potential, I think you should put an entry into Cairns Fashion Week.”

Looking to the future, Miss Stoelhorst said she has plans to continue designing.

“I do want to make more designs, I know that, and I want to do more modelling. I want to start making my own clothes,” she said.

Originally published as Teen designer Sofia Stoelhorst makes Cairns Fashion Week debut