We chat to...Andre Johnston

Meet the New Zealand designer who won a top fashion award for her unusual cross stitch evening dress…

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A few of us may have tried stitching the odd motif onto a piece of clothing, but talented designer Andre Johnston has taken it one step further! Living in rural New Zealand, Andre was raised in a creative family with her mum (designer Viv Tamblyn) inspiring her to pick up a needle and thread from a young age. In 2016, Andre’s lifelong love of sewing, embroidery and fashion came together when she won the Overall Award of Excellence at the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards for her stunning cross stitch evening gown. When Crazy saw her jaw-dropping design online, we just had to find out all about it…

Where does your love of cross stitch come from?

From as far back as I can remember, I have always been very creative. As a young girl, I had a love for craft projects, and used to design clothes for my Barbie dolls! When I was about 10 years old my auntie – who sadly passed away from cancer last year – taught me how to do cross stitch and embroidery. She was a very clever lady, and while going through cancer treatment she created some beautiful cross stitch pieces.

How did you come up with the idea for your dress?