Shanghai designers to partake at iD Dunedin Fashion Week

Two of the eight strong contingent of fashion graduates from the IFA Paris at Shanghai University of Engineering Science who showed at the Otago Polytechnic School of Design (Fashion) Collections 13 were selected from the runway show for direct entry into the iD Awards.

Mingcheng Zhu, 22 and Xinyi Li, 22, are the first finalists chosen for next year’s 10th anniversary of the Awards. Their collections, ‘Fan’ and ‘Beijing Opera’ were also shown at the prestigious Shanghai Fashion Week and both seek to celebrate traditional Chinese culture.

Selector Margi Robertson, from Dunedin-based label NOM*d, says her selections were based on silhouette and the ability to “present the drama theme with a modern and stylistic approach”.

Ten models from the Shanghai University of Engineering Science will also join the models from iD’s exclusive agency Ali Mcd at the iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday, April 3, and two iD Dunedin Fashion Shows on April 4 and 5. 

The models, completing a Bachelor of Fashion Performance and Planning, are part of an international collaboration between the Otago Polytechnic, the Shanghai University of Engineering Science and iD Dunedin Fashion Week. Two of the models coming to Dunedin have walked for top global labels including Armani, Balenciaga, Moschino and Vera Wang.

Dr Margo Barton, iD Fashion Week committee member and Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design academic leader and principal lecturer (Fashion), was thrilled iD had created further opportuniuties to enhance the relationship between Dunedin and Shanghai.

“Allowing direct entry for the Shanghai designers was a natural progression of an international partnership between the Otago Polytechnic, Shanghai University of Engineering Science and iD Fashion Week that is going from strength to strength.

“We’re really excited to have the Shanghai designers as a guaranteed part of the Awards, and those beautiful models, who were a real hit this year, returning to the iD catwalk.”

Madame Zhou, Dean of the International Fashion Academy Paris, which operates under the umbrella of the Shanghai University of Engineering Science (SUES), will accompany the models along with two other university staff members.

iD Dunedin Fashion Week will take place from March 30-April 6 2014.

iD Dunedin Fashion Week