Benjamin Alexander Winner of First Project Runway New Zealand

Fashion Design HOD Belinda Watt says "During his time at Whitecliffe, I have watched Benjamin develop a very strong vision and design signature and we are all immensely proud of his recent success. Benjamin was awarded First Class Honours for his MFA Fashion and Sustainability for his outstanding research and the development of a sustainable luxury collection with transparent ethical and sustainable value chain. The External Examiner, Professor Dilys Williams, (University of the Arts London), and Whitecliffe faculty were extremely impressed with his design sensibility, critical thinking, innovation and integrity.

While a student at Whitecliffe Benjamin participated in the NZ Vietnam Design Collaboration, was a Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia, and was also selected to participate in the Copenhagen Youth Fashion Summit.

As winner of Project Runway New Zealand, Benjamin was awarded a Holden Astra car, a $50,000 NZD cash prize and a six-page cover spread in Fashion Quarterly Magazine.

The judging team included international model (show host) Georgia Fowler, AUT Fashion Design Senior Lecturer (contestant mentor) Andreas Mikellis, WORLD Designer & Director Benny Castles and Fashion Quarterly Magazine Editor Sally-Ann Mullin. Weekly guest judges included Whitecliffe graduate and Designer Jessica Grubiša amongst others.

Whitecliffe BFA Fashion Design graduate Beau Takapu was also a contestant on the television series, but was eliminated in an earlier episode.

We congratulate Benjamin and wish him every success for his future as a designer.