Media Release, Sunday 1 April 2012
Dunedin, New Zealand
2012 iD Dunedin Fashion Week captivates crowds
Photo: Chris Sullivan and Ali McD Models
More than 3000 fashion lovers were dazzled by inspiring designer collections – and high profile special guests – at this
year’s iD Fashion Shows held at Dunedin Railway Station on Friday 30 March and Saturday 31 March.
iD Dunedin Fashion Week once again secured its place as an international must-see fashion event when two times ANDAM
award winner, Paris-based fashion designer Lutz Huelle amazed audiences with his retrospective collection of stunning
designs showcasing his global reputation for fashion innovation, style and flair. Coming direct to iD from Paris Fashion
Week and following on from the success of past iD international guests Akira Isogawa and Zandra Rhodes, Lutz Huelle gave
the iD event an international flavour which impressed audiences at the sell-out shows.
“I thought it was just incredible that the show was so unique,” says Lutz Huelle.
“Dunedin has its own distinctive fashion scene and its own taste. So many fashion shows all over the world produce
similar fashion trends, but Dunedin is truly unique. It’s not just about frilly dresses and sequins – it’s slightly
gothic, it’s sporty, it’s diverse. There are so many different styles and so many different women in the audience. I
thought it was amazing. Everything was brilliant – it was so euphoric, so lovely. I was so excited to be part of it.”
Now in its 13th year, the annual iD Dunedin Fashion Shows were the culmination of a week-long celebration of fashion
events in the city. The shows followed Thursday night’s iD International Emerging Designer Awards – where top new talent
from around the world vied for cash prizes, judged by leading fashion authorities Hilary Alexander, Nicholas Huxley,
Lutz Huelle and partner David Ballu, alongside our own Tanya Carlson and Margi Robertson (Nom*D).
Hosted by TV3’s John Campbell, this year’s shows featured more than 20 labels showing their winter collections on the
Southern Hemisphere’s longest catwalk. Crowd favourites included Nom*d, Carlson, Mild Red, Charmaine Reveley, Company of
Strangers, DADA Vintage and Vaughan Geeson.
Other highlights included the Celebrate Christchurch collection – featuring top labels Caroline Moore, Barbara Lee and
MisteR – with New Zealand’s Next Top Model judge Colin Mathura-Jeffree making a surprise return to the catwalk – and
wowing crowds – modelling MisteR’s exciting new winter range.
RUBY and Liam (from Madame Hawke’s Emily Miller-Sharma) excited crowds at iD for the first time this year, with Emily
Miller-Sharma returning to iD as a fully fledged designer after winning second place in the iD Emerging Designer Awards
in 2007.
“This year’s line-up was truly world class, with audiences enjoying the very best Kiwi fashion talent, including some
great new designers, alongside an incredible guest designer,” says iD Committee Chair Susie Staley.
“Every year we build on the success of the last – and iD 2012 was a triumph. We were fortunate to be able to secure the
attendance of our two high profile international judges for the iD Awards - British fashion icon Hilary Alexander and
Australian fashion authority Nicholas Huxley. They’ve added an extra dimension to the judging panel and have truly
cemented the credibility of the week on the global fashion calendar.”
This year’s two Capsule Collections featured mini collections from Cherry Cotton Candy, Jane Sutherland, and a joint
showcase by the Cooper sisters, Tamsin and Emily, with their respective labels Tamsin Cooper and Silkbody. Designers
Undone and DEVáL also debuted at iD in the second Capsule Collection, while the ever-popular BurtenShaw featured as part
of the same Capsule Collection.
Five 2011 graduates from the Otago Polytechnic School of Design – Fiona Clements, Grace Averis, Jojo Ross, Molly
Barrington and Phillip Hawkins – also showed their edgy and innovative collections alongside the winners of the iD
International Emerging Designer Awards.
Redken, for the 11th consecutive year, took charge of the runway hair creations led by husband and wife duo Jock Robson
and Sara Allsop from Auckland’s Dharma Hairdressing in Mt Eden, with a team of stylists from all over New Zealand.
Revlon worked backstage to create three beauty looks led by principal makeup artist Aliana McDaniel and a team of
make-up artists, to compliment the designer collections featured on 55 Ali McD models.
ENDS