iD Dunedin Fashion Week opens registrations for designers

The iD Fashion Show – New Zealand’s longest standing retail fashion show – will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2014, as part of a sensational week of fashion events planned, including prestigious overseas guests, international collaborations, retrospective celebrations, and the 10th anniversary of the iD International Emerging Designer Awards.

The show, which will be held on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, on the Southern Hemisphere’s longest catwalk at Dunedin’s historic Railway Station, promises to be the best yet.

High profile and emerging Kiwi designers are being asked to submit portfolios for the hugely popular public fashion event. Fashion designers interested in participating must be commercially producing directional adult fashion and be able to demonstrate an affiliation with Dunedin – such as retailing in the city, or having lived or studied in Dunedin. Selections are made by industry professionals based on the designer portfolios submitted.

iD Dunedin Fashion Week Committee Chair Susie Staley says the iD Fashion Show has grown to become a must-see global fashion event, showcasing many of New Zealand’s leading designers, alongside international fashion royalty. Past guests have included Zandra Rhodes, Akira Isogawa, Lutz Huelle, and last year, event goers were dazzled by the hats of celebrity milliner Stephen Jones and evening wear by Kiwi designer Yvonne Bennetti.

“Every year we aim to captivate crowds with the very latest winter collections from a stable of Dunedin’s most beloved designers, combined with new talent, and guest designers. As we hit our 15-year milestone, we’ll be celebrating in style with 2014 delivering a fabulous show that we want our fashion luminaries to be part of.”

Applications are also open for next year’s iD International Emerging Designer Awards, to be held in Dunedin on Thursday April 3. Celebrating its 10th year, new prizes are on offer for this prestigious competition, which provides an international platform for rising local and international fashion design talent to showcase their innovative collections and gain further professional catwalk experience and networking opportunities.