An outfit by Nom*D on the iD Dunedin Fashion Week runway. Image supplied.
The iD Dunedin Fashion Week Show returned to the iconic Dunedin Railway Station and its 120 metre long runway over the weekend to deliver two spectacular nights full of local fashion. The 2017 shows saw a strong line-up of brands take to the runway with stellar looks from emerging designers and established talent alike on Friday and Saturday nights.
International guest judge Paolo Melim Andersson opened the show with a curated collection of his designs from different fashion houses that he had given his mother over the years. It was a suitably chic range of European looks that set the tone for the high calibre fashion to follow.
Dunedin was well-represented on the runway with local labels Nom*D, Charmaine Reveley, Mild Red and Company of Strangers among the Dunedin-based brands showing, as well as several local retailers. We couldn’t mention Dunedin designers without including Tanya Carlson, who although is Auckland-based these days, she is Dunedin born and bred. Her winsome winter collection of metallic dresses and separates was a standout for its swoon worthy looks.
Adrian Hailwood also brought his A-game to the runway with a stunning edit of his beautiful Winter 2017 collection that we adored on the NZFW runway late last year. One of his gorgeous clients also took to the catwalk in her divine silver-sequined custom Hailwood wedding gown much to the delight of the crowd. It was a delight to see another couple of collections we loved at NZFW by Maaike and Lela Jacobs at iD too, both Auckland brands nailed the styling of their directional aesthetics.
Aside from lots of womenswear to keep the many ladies in attendance happy, there were some looks for the men with Swanndri adding to the masculine appeal of their collection by sending Otago Highlanders rugby players down the runway.
Talented students from Otago Polytechic also got to showcase their creativity with the collections of Kimberley Olivia, Winifred and Ariane Bray catching our eye for all the right reasons. Each had a different but beautiful take on feminine dressing. The winners from the previous night’s Emerging Designer Awards also got to send their creations down the runway one more time to loud cheering from their fellow students and families. It was such a pleasure to see the unique looks designed by the clever graduates up-close again.
After over two hours of fashion gracing the runway it was up to Stolen Girlfriends Club to be last up with a sexy range of thigh-grazing boots, short-shorts and leather jackets from their grungey collection “The Curse That Flew Right Past You”. The finale saw each designer take their bow for the crowd and before making their way back up the runway with a model wearing the designer’s outfit to much enthusiastic applause. With so much fantastic fashion on display it was definitely a successful way to end iD Dunedin Fashion Week 2017.
Carlson (left) and Stolen Girlfriends Club (right).
Swanndri (left) and Nom*D (right).
Paulo Melim Andersson (left) and Hailwood (right).
Nehma Vitols (left) and Megan Stewart (right).
New Lands (left) and Ariane Bray (right).
Images by Chris Sullivan from iD Dunedin Fashion Week.