The Big Idea's marketing, business development and communications manager Margaret Lewis has another talent up her sleeve. With a eclectic range of original designs Lewis entered the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards 2009 where she has won the Hokonui Heritage Kiwiana Award.

Her entry, called 'rattle your dags' truly reflects our farming heritage. "It was inspired by picking bits of wool off fences for Nana to spin when we went out blackberrying with Nana and Granddad," she says.

"It was a tradition when we went to stay with them and one that stuck firmly in my mind."

Her Nana is a major source of inspiration in all that Lewis designs.

"Although my nana is long dead, my lasting memories are of someone who was incredibly kind and generous and always doing something with her hands - knitting, sewing, spinning, baking...I want to honour that tradition of handmade and homemade that speaks of love and time but reinterpret it in a contemporary way."

About Margaret Lewis

Margaret is an accomplished knitwear designer, having designed knitwear for Whale Rider and winning the Streetwear section of Villa Maria Cult Couture for the last two years and also featuring on the catwalk at Style Pasifika.

In her other life she is committed to The Big Idea, where she looks after business development, advertising and marketing.

About Hokonui Fashion Design Awards 2009

The 21st Hokonui Fashion Design Awards held in Gore over the weekend were the best yet said Executive Producer Heather Paterson.

“We had an extremely successful two evenings of amazing fashion and design,” she said.

The Strictly Design show held on the Friday night ran flawlessly in front of an estimated crowd of 450 people who viewed all the competing garments from the nine competitive sections.

On Saturday the 700 people attending the Gala Awards were wowed by not only the design entries but by showcases from Doosh and Charmaine Reveley along with a stunning gown from iconic New Zealand fashion label “World”.

A hip hop dance routine by Christchurch hairdresser Carlos Gomez stunned the crowd as he performed his routine on the catwalk.

At the end of the evening Dunedin’s Laura Marshall took out the Ensign Award of Excellence with her Menswear entry while the Westpac Young Designer Award went to Elise Barnes also of Dunedin.

The Westpac Southland Designer title this year went to Claire Miller of Invercargill. Other awards were spread amongst designers from Auckland, Taupo, Masterton, Wellington, Christchurch, Gore and Invercargill.

The 2009 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards attracted a record 298 entries all of a very high standard. The judging panel for the 2009 Awards was made up of Francis Hooper of World, Theresa Brady from Doosh, Rex Turnbull, Charmaine Reveley and Mike Hamel of Ginger Meggs.

Head judge Francis Hooper commented that the quality of the entries was high while he felt that the menswear section in particular was outstanding.

On Sunday Francis Hooper was the guest speaker at a brunch where he addressed the audience and told of the story behind World’s success. He stressed the importance of designers entering all design competitions possible and that they must accept failure as part of the journey to success.

“Take heart from rejection and criticism of your designs and build on it,” he urged.

“Fashion is not an easy career and requires not only passion but persistence as well. Ask for the opinion of your colleagues and friends and take on board all suggestions they give even if you don’t end up applying them."