A Katikati College student has taken out Envirohub’s Re:Stitched Runway contest for 2025 after placing second last year.

Katikati College student Zoe Wallis won the competition after her sister Gail Wallis walked the runway at the July 12 fashion show at The Cargo Shed in her outfit, which took three weeks to make.

Wallis, who as up against 20 fellow high school fashionistas on a mission to create an outfit in one month using recycled garments, said her design consisted of a denim jacket, a patchwork denim skirt, a bag and two scrunchies.

She used the “challenge item” – a piece of a hi-vis vest – to make some vibrant orange fish, turning the jacket into a stylish fishermen’s piece.

Gail Wallis, 14, wearing the design, with the winner, her sister Zoe Wallis. Photo / Morgan Hide Photography

“Sustainability and upcycling have been a passion of mine ever since I’d learnt of the devastating effects of over-consumerism and fast fashion,” said Wallis.

Do her part

She’d spent the last few years learning how to do her part to combat this by learning how to sew, saying it had “become my way of trying to help the planet out”.

Now Wallis often spent her time making her own clothing using pre-owned bedsheets. “I try not to shop at any fast fashion stores. Their turnover in clothes and items always makes me feel ill.”

Despite being her second attempt, the contest was daunting for Wallis. “I knew my sewing was good, I knew that my detailing was well done, and that I used the hi-vis and the clothes effectively, but I had no clue how I compared to everyone else.”

Gail Wallis, 14, wearing her sister’s winning design. Photo / Morgan Hide Photography

She hoped to make upcycled clothing for a living when she’s older. “I love sewing and have fun doing so. My goal is to find, or create a business where I can incorporate my love for tailoring with my love for upcycling.”

Something with ‘harmony’

Runner-up in the high school category was CNED online French school student Quentin Dubois, who’d received a sewing machine for his birthday.

His friend suggested he compete, so Dubois did went on YouTube for inspiration from upcyclers.

After collecting his garments to “recycle” from Envirohub with some ideas, he panicked and “had to rethink everything”.

Quentin Dubois, 15, with his mum Audrey Dubois in his upcycled design. Photo / Morgan Hide Photography

Eventually, he found five pieces and came up with a design to incorporate the bright orange hi-vis material and make something with “harmony”.

With his mother, Audrey Dubois, being his model, he designed something she would feel comfortable wearing day-to-day. The end result was a skirt, scarf, bag and shirt, which he remade three times before he found the perfect look.

“From start to end, I would always change something and then at the last four or five days, I stopped and just said: ‘Leave it on the side, it’s done now’.”

Audrey Dubois wearing the outfit designed by her son, Quentin Dubois. Photo / Morgan Hide Photography

The outfit took Dubois 50 hours to create, and his auntie had already bagsed the bag. Later, after prizegiving, open category winner Rhonda Hewlett asked Dubois to meet with her so she could train him and pass along sewing techniques.

Event organiser Hannah Cousar said each contestant had a month to create their outfit, starting by collecting five garments and a “challenge garment” from Envirohub on June 14. “The goal was to spark change to more eco-conscious decisions,” said Cousar.

Fierce

Each outfit was marked based on a four-part judging criterion – wearability, construction, creativity and sustainability. The annual upcycled fashion show was held on July 12 at The Cargo Shed.

“The outfits blew everyone away,” said Cousar. “The challenge garment that they all incorporated made it look like it was a cohesive collection going down the runway, which was really cool.”

Judge Vincent Callister, founder of Waste Wizards Ltd, said the fashion show competition – watched by more than 185 people – was fierce. “I don’t think all the entrants quite know how well they did,” he said. “It was all executed to a very high degree.”