Designs by iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 finalists Jing He (left) and Jennifer Milleder (right). Images supplied.
The iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 finalists have been announced with 43 finalist collections from 16 countries chosen this year. The highly competitive awards that are run in partnership with Otago Polytechnic are one of the few emerging designer awards that are global and the standard of competition is always high. The 2021 winners will be announced at a gala movie premiere and runway show at Otago Museum on Saturday 19 June.
Each of the 46 emerging designers are either currently studying fashion or have completed their study within the last five years and the finalists were chosen from over 150 applications from 27 countries. The successful designers must now submit a video of their garments, which will be shown to an international judging panel to decide the winners in each category.
The iD International Emerging Designer Awards judging panel is led by head judge and fashion designer Tanya Carlson. For the 2021 finalists decisions she was joined by Dunedin designers; Margi Robertson of NOM*d, Donna Tulloch of MildRED and Charmaine Reveley. Carlson said she immediately noticed how global consciousness had influenced the designers’ collections this year. “You’ve got a certain age group of students from all over the world, but they have very similar threads, whether they’re from Finland or Australia,” says Carlson. “While last year the Covid-19 pandemic influenced designers with dark and deep themes, this year the applications shared a common theme of utilitarian, cosy and protective designs. Most of the garments were gender fluid and did not fit particular categories such as evening wear or business attire. As usual, there’s incredible talent and assessing the entries is a real privilege. It’s inspiring.”
The iD International Emerging Designer Awards are in their 17th year this year with the 2021 finalists competing for First, Second and Third place as well as Most Sustainable Collection and Natural Luxury with Wool awards. For the first time all 10 New Zealand finalists will be eligible for the new VIVA Best NZ Emerging Designer.
While the global pandemic meant that last year’s event was primarily online with the focus on a video presentation that was filmed by finalists from around the world in their bedrooms, hallways, local parks and homes during lockdown. The footage was edited by Dunedin’s NHNZ and provided a personal insight into the emerging designers, their inspiration and their collections – in a snapshot of a very different time.
This year will feature another film featuring the finalists that will premiere at the 2021 Awards in Dunedin. This time the awards evening will be a gala night of fashion and fun at Otago Museum on Saturday 19 June. As in previous years there will also be a runway show featuring the New Zealand finalists collections.
“When I saw the incredible submissions for iD 2021, it reminded me that there is nowhere else in the world where edgy and challenging sustainable fashion from some of the most notable institutions internationally are accessible to the public in such a way,” says Dr Margo Barton, Professor of Fashion, Otago Polytechnic and iD Dunedin Fashion Inc. Chair. “ID Dunedin and Otago Polytechnic are excited and feel privileged to create the opportunity for both the designers and the attendees at the live and online events. I just love my job!”
The 2021 iD International Emerging Designer Awards finalists and their collections are:
Cindy Alhadeff and Martina Pavia; ‘No-Made’; Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo; Argentina.
George Borrie; ‘Muse’; Southern Institute of Technology; New Zealand.
Kerry Brack; ‘Objet Trouve’; University of Technology Sydney; Australia.
Gisella Candi; ‘Wide Angle Smile’; University of Technology Sydney; Australia. Elodie Cazier; ‘Not that they come alive in her; it is her who lives in them’; ArtEZ University of the Arts; France.
Sahil Chaudhary; ‘Labyrinth’; National Institute of Fashion Technology; India.
Karis Zanetta Cheng; ‘Where Are You From?’; University of Technology, Sydney; Australia.
Justin Mengzhe Chi; ‘Put on – Take Off’; Fashion Institute of Technology; United States.
Tsai Feng Chou; ‘Goldfish Unknow’; Shih Chien University; Taiwan.
Chloe Christie; ‘Suited’; University of Technology, Sydney; Australia.
Jasmin Erb; ‘Untitled, 2021’; University of Arts, Berlin; Germany.
Taylor Groves & Emma Jing-Cornall; ‘February 2021 Collaboration’; Massey University; New Zealand.
Romana Haake; ‘Coding Paradise’; University of Applied Sciences, Bielefeld; Germany.
Jordan Harris; ‘[Re]construct’; Massey University; New Zealand.
Jing He; Assimilation // Annexation; Massey University; New Zealand.
Ina Hill; ‘Embody’; Massey University; New Zealand.
Oscar Keene; ‘Fluid’; RMIT; Australia.
Sally Jackson; ‘The Bowerbirds’; University of Technology, Sydney; Australia.
Grace Kelly; ‘Eidê’; Queensland University of Technology; Australia.
Sara Kickmayer; ‘Real Utopia’; Institut Français de la Mode; France.
Ester Kubisz; ‘Unreal City’; Ravensbourne; United Kingdom.
Taliah Leslie; ‘Dreamers’; Pratt Institute; United States of America.
Jingzhi Liu; Liu Jingzhi ; College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University; China.
Shiyu Liu; ‘Cheng Shi’; Donghua University; China.
Yu-Wen Liu; ‘Revolution Orbita’; Shih Chien University; Taiwan.
Karel Martinez; ‘Karel’; Polimoda; Italy.
Jennifer Milleder; ‘Flora Magnifica’; University of Applied Arts, Vienna; Austria.
Margarita Ng Ng and Cristina Ng Ng; 2×1 = Split Identities/Personalities Different But Same; Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT); United States.
Lydia Paine; ‘Mother & Mode’; Massey University; New Zealand.
Taylor Pumphrey; ‘Tangible’; Otago Polytechnic ; New Zealand.
Alesha Pyers; ‘Audacity to Art’; Otago Polytechnic; New Zealand.
Kristal Roberts; ‘Rethread’ ; Massey University, Wellington; New Zealand.
Olivia Rubens; ‘Duplicitous Lives’; London College of Fashion; Canada.
Lorna Ryan; ‘New Zeal’; Otago Polytechnic; New Zealand.
Alessandro Santi; ‘Morphed Up’; University of Applied Arts Vienna; Austria.
Anna Sarasoja; ‘Study of Shapes’; Aalto University; Finland.
Cecilie Schou Grønbeck; ‘A Soft Warrior’ ; Royal Danish Academy; Denmark.
Namrata Surana; ‘Wildflower Mornings’; Accademia di Costume e di Moda; India.
Min-Yan Tsai; 天照花塚 Flourish Tumulus; Shih Chien University; Taiwan.
Karina Vodovoz; ‘Future Past’; Shenkar; Israel.
Xizhu Wu; ‘Shuang’; University of Technology, Sydney; Australia.
Zhu-Luo Xiao; ‘Dedicated to my Parents’; Shih Chien Fashion Department; Taiwan.
Shuyu Yue; ‘Me’ ; College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University; China.
You can find out more about the designers and see looks from each collection on the iD International Emerging Designer Awards website. Best of luck to this year’s finalists.
Designs by iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 finalists Tsai Feng Chou (left) and Shuyu Yue (right).
Designs by iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 finalists Jingzhi Liu (left) and Jordan Harris (right).
Designs by iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 finalists Cecilie Schou Grønbeck (left) and George Borrie (right).
Images supplied.