Twenty
North Shore teenagers are taking their event management skills to the world
stage as they head to NZ Fashion Weekend to run the annual Walk the Line runway
fashion show on 2 September.
Walk the Line is the largest initiative of its kind run for youth by youth, and
aims to give young designers aged 13 to 18 from across the country a chance to
showcase their talent at New Zealand’s premiere fashion event.
The group of 20 teens from North Shore’s YMCA Raise Up youth group is
responsible for ensuring the runway show is all glamour with no glitches.
Surrounded by industry pros with decades of experience working runways across
the world, the teenage team is responsible for everything from lighting to
stage management, and ensuring the 52 young fashion design entrants and models
shine on the runway.
14 year old Maria
Carbonell-Gannet from Carmel College said Walk the Line is the largest event
organised by the North Shore Raise Up youth group.
“I think it’s really important that as youth we can pitch in and organise these
opportunities for other teenagers and give them a chance to showcase their
talent on the world stage and in front of people they may look up to.”
For the North Shore Raise Up youth group, the show provides a valuable
opportunity to develop their event management skills. Kev Carter, YMCA Raise
Up’s team leader, said each year he is impressed by what the young event crew
manage to organise on their own.
“The Walk the Line show takes five months to organise, and it’s impressive how
the group consistently pull together a high-quality event under the spotlight
of the world-class NZ Fashion Weekend. Most people in the audience would be
unaware that it’s all organised and run by a group of teenagers.”
This year’s Walk the Line fashion show at the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre involves
52 budding young designers showcasing their talent in the categories of high
fashion, streetwear, sustainability, fantasy and open. The overall design
winner will receive a scholarship to NZ Fashion Tech.
Tickets for the 2 September show are on sale at iticket.co.nz by
searching ‘YMCA’.