Model: Railway station again in model

The event has been held at other venues in recent years, but New Zealand’s top designers and the iD International Emerging Designer Awards will celebrate its 23rd year, back at the heritage building on April 1, 2023.

Co-chair of iD Dunedin Fashion Inc Dr Margo Barton said the Dunedin Railway Station had been “beloved” by iD fans for many years and event organisers were delighted to host its live runway show there once again.

For more than two decades, iD has championed the creativity and innovation of Dunedin’s fashion community and emerging designers worldwide, and this had been recognised by a premier event grant from the Dunedin City Council towards the 2023 event.

Dr Barton was elated about the return of the event to the station.

“I am absolutely thrilled.

“The Dunedin Railway Station is a spectacular venue to showcase established and new stars of fashion. It will be a fashion feast.”

The announcement has been warmly welcomed by Dunedin’s fashion community.

NOM*d fashion designer Margarita Robertson said iD Dunedin was now essential to the DNA of NOM*d as a platform for showcasing its collections.

“We are overjoyed that it is happening in 2023 and our customers are too.”

The iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2023, sponsored by Otago Polytechnic, are a vibrant celebration of emerging and established fashion design talent.

Over the years, hundreds of designers from around the world have submitted their designs to be part of Australasia’s only international emerging designer competition.

New Zealand fashion designers with a connection to Dunedin, and international emerging designers from around the globe who would like to take part in the runway event in April, can submit their applications online from September 2022.

Applications close on October 28, 2022, and emerging designer applications close on November 28, 2022.

An Otago Polytechnic spokesman said next year, the iD Dunedin Fashion Show would occur alongside the 25th annual conference of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI), a conference hosted by Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design.

“It would be the first time this international fashion conference has been held in New Zealand.”

iD Fashion will also coincide with the Otago Rally in 2023, making it an unmissable weekend in Dunedin.

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