Zoe Beck has impressed organisers at NZ Fashion Week with her up-cycled designed garments.
After being told she was just too young to model in 2014 the15-year-old from Tauranga is not only modelling but showing eight of her pieces this year.
“I was so excited. I have been accepted as a designer and am modelling as well,” said Beck.
Zoe has entered into the “Walk the Line Show” which is presented by the YMCA and is an amazing opportunity for young NZ designers to show off their passion and talents on an international platform. She has entered at least one garment into each category of High Fashion, Carnival, Cultural, Recycled and Open design.
She is inspired by her love for hip hop music and dance and has incorporated aspects of the hip hop culture into her designs with a bit of a contemporary twist. Zoe also believes fashion should be fun and allow you to express who you are without worrying about the opinions of others. Be who you are and that may change from day to day.
Her designs are created from up-cycled clothing and this year she has been strong on using tops as bottoms.
“I was in one of the op shops and I saw this really old jumper. I put the jumper on my legs in fun and it actually looked really cool. I said to Mum Oh I could do this, I could make this into a whole design. It has just gone crazy from here.”
Beck usually is thinking about three designs ahead of herself as each piece can easily take a month of planning.
“I use all my recycled things so I actually have to plan it and then chose the fabric that will actually work. Some fabrics won’t work with others so sometimes it takes awhile to make it come together.”
Zoe has full support from her mother Donna Beck who is always looking for opportunities for her daughter’s work, supporting her in any way she can and spends many hours driving the pair to various shows.
“I’m always watching what is happening on Facebook and I saw this opportunity for young designers for NZ Fashion Week. I didn’t tell Zoe that I had sent off an application with photos of some of the things she has been doing and little bit about her.”
Donna was excited when the organisers contacted them and said “we are really keen to talk with you and see what you are submitting.” Zoe quickly sent in a couple of completed pieces and ideas for three more. All five pieces were accepted.
“A couple of weeks ago we went to Auckland for the prejudging with the five designs which Zoe and four other girls were modelling. The girls were ecstatic about modelling in NZ Fashion Week.”
While there the organisers approached Donna and asked if Zoe had more pieces to show. Suddenly Zoe found herself with eight pieces accepted and the urgent need to find three more models.
“It has been a mad scramble trying to find more models but also exciting for Zoe. She is actually still looking for one more but she just have to find the right girl for that design.”
Tearaway Magazine have also asked Zoe to represent the young designers in writing a blog talking about their experiences in the lead up to the big event.
“It’s about the preparation and everything involved. It’s quite exciting to be picked. They are keen for it to be a regular ongoing thing.”
Life for the Tauranga Girls College student is extremely busy as she dances in her school’s hiphop crew. Then there is Cadets where she has now been picked twice for cenotaph duty at the Tauranga Anzac Day Service and the special service to mark the centenary of the Battle for Chunuk Bair.
“I have to get my school work done first and fashion is second. Pretty much my spare time has to be timetabled to fit everything in but I also get to spend time with my friends.”
Zoe enjoys volunteering at the James Place Op Shop, Greerton where she has worked for the last two years. One of Zoe’s jobs is to redress the mannequins as she brings a younger vibe into the store.
“I sometimes buy my clothes there. I also get a lot of clothes donated or given to me through Facebook. My fans post me things and I love opening the boxes and parcels to find all of this cool stuff.”
Staff at the local Mitre 10 look forward to Zoe’s challenges whenever she appears with her Mum as they hunt down specific glues for her.
“We go in there and ask if we can have a specific glue that will stick polystyrene to leather. The guy is always up to the challenge and goes through it all and checks out what we need. They get right into it and we end up with the right product every time.”