Kate Sylvester Unveilled as iD Dunedin Fashion Week Nz Guest Designer
Iconic New Zealand designer Kate Sylvester will show at iD Dunedin Fashion Week’s premier catwalk shows at the Dunedin
Railway Station as this year’s national guest designer.
The renowned Auckland-based designer – known for her beautiful, intelligent and feminine collections – will show her
Autumn Winter collection, ‘a Muse’ at the iD Fashion Show on Friday March 18 and Saturday March 19.
Sylvester also joins this year’s prestigious judging panel for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards and will
give a public talk at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Friday on Art and Fashion – particularly the influence of art on
her collections. Her current collection is inspired by Picasso’s muses, infusing her signature silhouettes with a cubist
eccentricity.
“I am excited to see the creativity from the Emerging Designer finalists from around the world,” says Kate Sylvester.
“iD Fashion Week is a very prestigious and important event for New Zealand fashion. I'm looking forward to participating
and supporting our incredible South Island customers and retailers."
Sylvester follows a tradition of showcasing high profile national guest designers on the iD runway, which in the past
has included Zambesi, Liz Mitchell, WORLD, Hailwood, Cybèle, Yvonne Bennetti, and last year’s Doris de Pont.
Born in Ardmore, Sylvester studied clothing and textiles at the Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey University),
graduating in 1986. In 1990, she moved to Europe, working at Arabella Pollen in London and then at Corinne Cobson in
Paris.
After returning to New Zealand in 1993, she launched her first label, ‘Sister’, before merging it with her eponymous
line five years later. Since then she’s become one of Australasia’s premier fashion designers and is stocked in
exclusive boutiques and department stores around the world.
iD Dunedin Fashion Week committee chair Cherry Lucas says iD audiences will be thrilled to see Kate Sylvester’s
beautiful designs on the iD catwalk for the first time.
“Kate Sylvester is a name synonymous with style and seeing her current collection on the runway will be fabulous.
“Hearing Kate talk about the impact of art on her own collections over 22 years in fashion in our own stunning Dunedin
Public Art Gallery looks to be a truly inspiring event – and a must for all fashion lovers.”
Tickets are still available for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday 17 March and the iD Fashion
Show on Friday 18 March. Limited tickets are available for the iD Fashion Show on Saturday 18 April. Tickets can be
purchased at TicketDirect venues (including the Regent Theatre, Dunedin), Ph 0800 4 TICKET or online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz. A booking fee applies.
iD Dunedin Fashion Week is supported by Dunedin City Council.
ENDS