Ag Art on show at Elmore as fashion designers get creative

ALTERNATIVE fashion designers will put their skills on show in the Ag Art Wear competition at the field days.

Style statements: Ag Art Wear competitors are vying for $1000 cash and a trip to New Zealand. Materials are sourced from the farm to stretch the imagination. Pictures: NATHAN SEGALOFF

FASHION designers will put their skills on show in the Ag Art Wear competition at the field days.

In its 16th year, the competition will again see designers enter outfits made entirely from agricultural products found on farms.

Ag Art organiser Lorraine Trewick said this year’s entries were more creative than ever.

“We’ve got some very interesting outfits and what I’ve seen so far has blown me away” Mrs Trewick said.

“Every year you think it can’t get much better, but then they come up with different ideas and it amazes me what they come up with.”

Mrs Trewick said new and experienced competitors were entering in 2016.

“The people that design the garments get the bug for it and it’s just a challenge they give themselves to think outside the square and come up with something creative,” she said.

“Then we get new people that come along and think it’s something they could do.”

Mrs Trewick said outfits were made from any agricultural materials that could be used on farm.

“There is such a variety of materials people use these days like baling twine, safety masks, ear tags, castration rings for lambs and pieces of metal material,” she said.

“It will be interesting to see how they all come together.”

Mrs Trewick said judges would be looking for creativity and individuality, as well as ensuring guidelines are followed.

“It’s got to be wearable and needs to be comfortable for the model and not harm the body,” she said.

“It needs to be able to fit through a normal doorway as some people try and make big extravagant outfits.

“Most of all they will be looking at how the imagination of the designers has come across in the outfit and how they’ve executed it.”

The competition will include four categories: avant garde, designer 18 years and under, and hats. Mrs Trewick said the winner of the avant garde category will receive $1000 and flights and accommodation to compete in the New Zealand Ag Art competition, from where Ag Art originated.