The just completed cultural immersion week for fashion design students at the BOP Polytechnic is believed be an important ingredient in students' successes at the up coming Westfield Style Pasifika Awards.

Nirmala Gounder gives the students some sari instruction

The week, which this year included sessions with saris and kimonos, wrapped up on Friday with students cooking and eating a traditional Indian meal.

'The week really helps our year two students to prepare for the second semester where they will design and present work for the Westfield Style Pasifika Awards,” says Debra Laraman, Group Leader Design.

'The Polytechnic's fashion team have a long history of winning many of the categories at the prestigious Pasifika awards with student experiences from culture week being incorporated in many of the award winning designs.”

The year two diploma students study history, culture and context as part of their programme of study. Rather than include a lecture each week of the semester, the fashion team immerse their students in a full week so that the students really get to feel, touch and taste different cultures.

'We've found this concept works really well for our students,” says Debra. This year we've included disabilities, Japanese and Indian culture as well as lectures on traditional Maori culture, including Ta Moko, learning a waiata and a visit to Judea marae.”

The Maori culture aspect of the week also included a visit to Creative Tauranga where two of Tauranga's established Maori artists, Rowena Chapman and Rawinia Gray, had joined forces exhibiting a stunning collection of works.

Just over the road at the Tauranga Art Gallery, the students also enjoyed a guest lecture with local sculptor Brett Graham, before finishing their day with visiting the Matariki exhibit at the Tauranga Civic Centre.

Shino Henderson, owner and designer from Tauranga-based Shining Style presented a session on traditional Kimono, Japanese culture and fashion on Thursday, and Nirmala Gounder from the local Indian community, spoke to the students about the Sari and jewellery in traditional culture.

Culture week concluded with the students learning to cook a traditional Indian meal in the Polytechnic's teaching kitchen with chef Andrew Targett and then sharing the meal with each other and invited guests from within the Polytechnic and local community.