Georgia Alice Currie, founder of the self named Georgia Alice has won the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship for 2014. With the award comes international freight to the value of $10,000, as well as tailored mentoring from Fashion Industry New Zealand (FINZ). The two other finalists were Sly Guild (runner up) and Lucy McIntosh (third place) who also receive freight from DHL and mentoring from FINZ.

This year one of the judging panel was a winner of the inaugural DHL scholarship, Dan Gosling of Stolen Girlfriends Club. Gosling was suitably impressed by Georgia Alice saying she could be the “next Karen Walker”. Currie already has 24 stockists worldwide including New York and LA – and she is only now in her fifth season. Her collections have a simplicity about them – well cut but with an easiness. I spoke to her when she launched her very first collection and then she talked of designing for woman of all ages, with simple designs that can be dressed up, or down as required.  I have a hide clutch from the first collection that I still get asked about – it is a pouch that can carry a laptop with a simple catch at the top, but can also be folded over twice to become a clutch to slip under your arm. Beautifully thought through and executed. The simplicity of the original collection done only in black and cream continues through to her current season but with gently expanded colour palette.

She is no stranger to award winning with her taking the Westpac Young Designer 2011 when she was a third year Fashion Technology and Design student Massey University. Definitely one to watch, she is in good company as a recipient with previous winners Stolen Girlfriends Club, Lonely Hearts, twentysevennames and I Love Ugly all growing from strength to strength. She will most certainly do the same.

Photographs by Sam Lee except for final three by Michelle Weir of Studio Weir

Georgia Alice 2013

Georgia Alice 2013

Georgia Alice 2013