Two Timaru Community House co-workers are the only New Zealanders selected to compete in this year’s Australian Wearable Arts Festival.
Robyn Valentine and Fiona Pierce are preparing their entries for the event, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast in July.
Mrs Valentine said the selection process took a candidate’s history in wearable arts on board.
As she had secured the People’s Choice Award at the competition last year, she was relieved to be invited back.
But it would be the first time her co-worker Fiona Pierce had competed at the show.
However, it was not the first time Mrs Pierce had been to the show, as she had made the trip last year with Mrs Valentine and had been backstage.
Mrs Valentine said ‘‘unfortunately’’ the coworkers would both be competing against each other in the same category.
That category — Elements of Nature — allowed a little wiggle room, with Mrs Pierce focusing on water while Mrs Valentine focused on air.
The duo were openly discussing the construction of their garments with each other; with adjacent office doors the coworkers were able to chat over tea breaks and used FaceTime after work.
Mrs Pierce would be using upcycled jeans for her garment, in a nod to how much water was used in the manufacture of one pair.
Mrs Valentine said when she had recently come to work in a denim dress, her rival had cooed over how the dress would be perfect for deconstructing and putting into her garment.
‘‘It would fray nicely,’’ Mrs Pierce said.
Mrs Valentine said creating garments was ‘‘a lot of bloody work’’.
But, despite the labour involved, they both ‘‘pump out a couple a year’’.
‘‘We bounce off each other with ideas.’’
Mrs Pierce said about her friend’s wins in wearable arts, ‘‘she doesn’t disillusion me, she inspires me.’’
The duo met through their roles at Community House — Mrs Pierce with MS South Canterbury, and Mrs Valentine with Community Accounts Services — and over their eight years of friendship, had discovered they had a lot in common.
Mrs Valentine said work was ‘‘boring’’ when Mrs Pierce was on holiday.
The two also organised Art in Motion, which was a Timarubased wearable arts event.
Entries had just opened for that competition, with hopeful contestants needing to provide a concept of their design before entries closed.
Mrs Valentine said last year the event was ‘‘very well received’’.
‘‘We can’t wait to do it again.’’
