Yukon student to walk fashion runway in Australia

A Yukoner studying business administration in Whitehorse will takea vacation from her studies in March to participateinaninternationalfashion show in Australia.

Aven-Lee Enzenauer just found out she'sone of ten participantschosen from an open applicationto participate as a modelin anevent called the Indigenous Runway Project, billed asa way to help emergingAboriginal models and designersbreak into the fashion industry.

"It sounds like a pretty huge opportunity just to get myself out there on an international level," says the 26-year-old.

Enzenaueris from the Duncan First Nation in Northern Alberta and has lived in the Yukon since age 10. She made herrunway debut at Whitehorse's Adaka Cultural Festival last summer.

Enzenauer says the fashion event in Australiagives indigenous fashion designers and models the opportunity to showcase their work and raiseawareness among other designers about culturally appropriate design.

She says she's not expecting to fall into amodeling or fashion career following the event, but she'll keep her options open.

"I don't expect anything from it but I definitely don't want to pass up the opportunity either."

Enzenauerwill take part in several days of model training and rehearsals priorto the final event on Mar. 7. First though, she has to payher own way to Australia, for which she is now fundraising.