Cut Above Academy, Manukau campus, have partnered with the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show over the past two years, and provided all the hair and makeup for their marketing campaigns and promotional videos. This is topped off by the Cut Above team translating the designer’s vision at the live shows each October, by creating unique looks.
This is invaluable experience for Cut Above students, who are on the floor, under pressure and creating the latest looks to shine in photography, video and live fashion shows. Being in this environment is what will make or break our students says Cut Above trainer Dylan Quinn.
Dylan adds, “Keeping up with trends and working with industry experts to come up with a high fashion look is the pinnacle of a stylist’s career. Students having the opportunity to be involved in this event is such a special experience for them, and prepares them really well for the workplace. Pacific Fusion, being held in south Auckland, with a Pasifika theme felt very at home for our students who come from similar cultural backgrounds”.
At the recent Pacific Fusion Fashion Show in early October, students were given a series of modern high-fashion looks, and asked to translate them onto the models in a high-speed, backstage fashion show environment. Feedback from industry leaders in the audience was that the makeup looked flawless, and the hair was fantastic on the catwalk.
Nora Swann who is the founder and owner of Pacific Fusion is thrilled to have Cut Above on board with her team. Nora says, “As Pacific Fusion Fashion Show (PFFS) continues to grow, it is fantastic to see emerging designers trust in our platform. This is the second year we have teamed up with Cut Above Academy. The hair and makeup students are involved from the start with our Marketing Campaigns so the students experience firs- hand what it is like to work behind the scenes either at our photo-shoots or the fashion show itself”.
With the live event so popular now it is an environment students revel in. Nora says, “ It’s a full-on, fast paced experience, however under the excellent supervision of Dylan Quinn, the students have been able to adapt quickly, showcase their creative skill-sets and network with others from the fashion or creative industries. It is also a special experience for the South Auckland based campus as part of the PFFS branding is to move our pop-up show to ‘out of the box’ locations throughout South Auckland each year”.
Throughout the year, Cut Above Academy partners with various events, fashion shows, theatre productions and video shoots. This gives Cut Above students the opportunity to put into practise their classroom learnings and gain experience which helps build confidence in a professional environment.
