News

Fashion Bash 16 – 19 April @ Riverway

• Fashion Bash was a fantastic opportunity for the girls!! We entered six girls into the Young Model Challenge (girls 12 – 15 years). Fashion Bash went for 4 days over the Easter school holidays. Each day the students had to model a different outfit – the categories included: Beach/Swimwear, Sportswear, Eveningwear and Daywear.
• The workshop Kathy Corones came over and did with the girls prior to the Fashion Bash was exceptional! (first impressions, presentation, catwalk training, posture, skin care & self esteem/confidence) – I don’t know how we would have gone if this had not happened before hand. It really gave the girls a boost and helped them to prepare – they went in with an idea of what to expect. Kathy covered all of her own costs in getting to Palm Island and delivering the workshop to all of our high school girls.
• Victoria Ugarte was amazing in helping me to organise the girls for the Fashion Bash. She supplied all of the girls clothes and shoes for the Evening and Daywear categories (which the girls got to keep!). She was also able to organise some swimwear from the Raffles school of Design in Sydney which was unfortunately not suitable.
• Seafolly provided the girls with some fantastic Swimwear/Beachwear outfits to wear – which they also got to keep!
• Angus Smith Sports Power allowed the girls to select their own clothes and shoes for the Sportswear category and lent them these for the event.
• Their hair and make-up had to be done according to the different categories – Kathy Corones did the girls make-up each day and also organised her hairdresser to do the girls hair (totally free of charge).
• Maggie Blackley (community member) and Rhiannon Friday (Indigenous Education Assistant) were so wonderful in volunteering to come in and help for the duration of the event.
• The girls went so well and their confidence over the four days just got better and better! It was wonderful to see the girls have such a great time and increase their self esteem!
• Kahlani Pearson received a special mention in the Sportswear category and Ronella Cummins received a high commendation overall!!!!
• This event was such a fantastic opportunity for the girls, so many more high school girls really wanted to participate!
• It would be great to be able to send some girls into this event again next year. I know there are many who are already talking about it! However, I felt six girls were too many to try and organise when they each have 4 different outfits they require. Maybe if another teacher or so gets on board to help with the preparations this may be easier..
• It would be most beneficial to the girls if we were able to provide some additional deportment workshops/classes in the lead up to this event – or better still as an ongoing learning experience throughout the year. These types of workshops/classes would greatly benefit many more girls on Palm Island.
• Many thanks to The Catherine Freeman Foundation, Victoria Ugarte (Postcards from Millie), Kathy Corones (PJR Modelling Deportment and Grooming),Opal Fashion Bash 2009, Seafolly, Angus Smith Sports Power, Palm Island Community Company, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, Maggie Blackley and Rhiannon Friday.

WRITTEN BY PALM ISLAND BWGCOLMAN SCHOOL TEACHER FIONA HUGHES.

Back: April Morton, Shirelle Bone.
L to R: Ronella Cummins (headband), Kahlani Pearson, Jimeka Richardson, Kearhla Walsh.

Back: Shirelle Bone, Kearhla Walsh, April Morton.
Front: Jimeka Richardson, Ronella Cummins, Kahlani Pearson.

Back: Shirelle Bone, Kearhla Walsh, April Morton (bending down).
Front: Ronella Cummins, Kahlani Pearson, Jimeka Richardson.