MEET THE FINALISTS: SHEENA UNWIN

3 Jul 2012
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Sheena Unwin is one of the eight finalists for the ELLE Rising Star Design Award in association with Mr Price.

When did you know that fashion design was what you wanted to do?

When I was about nine years old, my sister was given a Barbie sewing machine. She was a tomboy and quickly threw it aside, to my delight. I started sewing Barbie clothes and went on to adapting my mom’s clothes to fit me. Eventually I began making garments from scratch when I was 16 or so. Studying fashion design seemed inevitable. I have worked and interned in various parts of the industry. The most informative stage of my design journey was in industry. There are some things that you can’t teach and that one can only learn from experience.

Tell us one thing we need to know about you as a designer?

I love all aspects of design. I find inspiration in a song I heard three years ago, a photograph, a beautifully constructed building. I try to steer clear of other fashion designers’ work as I think it may influence my own. Because of this I like to think that I’m somewhat original, although no thought is really original.

How did you feel when you heard that you are one of the finalists?

If you can picture sitting in a quiet restaurant, enjoying a delicious pasta, and somewhere in the background there’s a funny-looking girl jumping up from her seat and punching the air while screaming ‘I got in!’ I think that’s how it went! Now that I’m in and I’ve seen pictures of the judging (I can see all the amazing designers they didn’t choose) I feel honored and complimented that ELLE and Mr Price chose me.

What do you think differentiates your collection from the others’?

Everyone is special in his or her own way, right? I really don’t know. I haven’t seen much of the other finalists. They could all be exactly the same as mine for all I know. That would be embarrassing…

When it comes to working, are you a night owl or an early bird?

Late nights. Then I wake up around 7-ish and start over again.

What do you listen to while you work?

567 Cape Talk. I know all the jingles

Describe your favourite outfit?

My favourite outfit of all time: a red and white gingham dress with a full skirt and plain bodice. A friend gave it to me. It was used in a stage production of Annie. I cut the sleeves off and wear it with my yellow Spiderman jersey. My favourite outfit from my collection would have to be my lace A-line skirt and boxy boat-neck shirt. Happiness.

If design wasn’t an option, what would you have done?

Photography or musical theater.

What would winning this award mean for you?

It’s an achievement just getting into the finals. It would be a huge help to win the R25 000 towards starting my business (much better than the R0.00 that I would have to start with otherwise!) I also desperately need the help of a business coach. Us creative minds, you know. And it would be a dream come true to have my collection on sale in Mr Price stores. If I won, it would be the perfect leg-up.

Who would you love to dress?

My friends. To see them wearing my clothes and loving them as much as I love making them would be a dream come true.

 

Look out for the rest of our finalists online in the course of the week. 

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ruth unwin on 7/3/2012: That's my baby sis! I'm sooooo proud! We all routing for you!
Charly-Carmen Smith on 7/4/2012: Well done! Absolutely LOVE!!
Cheryl Smith on 7/4/2012: Love the design of the dress and jacket. I would definitely wear this.
Jeremy Maku on 7/5/2012: Wow. Congratulations!!! *V*
Sarah McFarland on 7/5/2012: Well Done Sheena! Love the designs! Holding thumbs for you to win this! What an achievement hey! You are such a talented woman!
Kyra-moon Halfpenny on 7/11/2012: MAKE ME CLOTHES SHEENA IM ONE OF YOUR NUMBER ONE FANS!! I ALREADY LOVE DEAR LAND HUGE FAN HAHAHAHA