Lack of key sponsor threatens Fashion Week

MEDIA RELEASE

FRIDAY, 27 JULY 2007

Lack of key sponsor threatens ID Dunedin Fashion Week 2008

After the withdrawal of Vodaphone as the key sponsor of Dunedin ID Fashion Week, the organising committee are urgently seeking funding to be able to run the 2008 event.

Organising Committee chairperson Susie Staley today said that Vodafone, the major event sponsor for the past four years, had decided not to renew its commitment to the event.

“Vodafone has been a great sponsor for four years, but the time had come for it to move on and the committee understood the reasons for this,” Ms Staley said.

“The Committee has some fantastic ideas and people lined up for the 2008 ID events,” Ms Staley said. “The Railway Station event is iconic and we have been building other exciting initiatives around it, but if we can’t find around $90 000 in the next two weeks we might have to postpone things.”

Ms Staley said the success of ID Dunedin Fashion Week was due to its professionalism, its organisation and its creativity.

“We cannot compromise on any one of those things,” she said. “If we do, then the reputation of the event is in jeopardy and we are not prepared to take that risk.”

ID Dunedin Fashion Week required close to $500,000 in sponsorship to make it a successful event. Some of that funding was already committed for the 2008 show, but without a key sponsor it was too much of a risk to take, she said.

“We have been talking to a number of potential sponsors, and we have some new sponsors such as the Otago Polytechnic, but if we cannot get a commitment very soon for a major sponsor we are not prepared to compromise our own high standards if we don’t have sufficient funding,” she said.

A final decision about the viability of the 2008 show will be taken by the organising committee within the next 10 days.

Background

With its youthful spirit and atmosphere, ID Dunedin Fashion Week is a launch-pad for emerging designers in New Zealand and abroad.

The ID Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards was three years old in 2007, and is part of the fast-growing ID Dunedin Fashion Week which celebrated its seventh birthday in 2007.

The fashion week culminates in two major events; the ID Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards; and the main show which is held at The Dunedin Railway Station. The beautiful old stone Flemish Renaissance style railway station has been ranked among the world's '200 must-see places' by a leading travel guide.

The collaboration between the fashion community, education and business, fashion designers, fashion workers and the city started in 2000 and now showcases the best of Dunedin and New Zealand fashion.

New Zealand fashion icons Nom*D, Carlson and Mild Red live and work in the city, and are huge supporters of the international emerging designer Awards. ID Dunedin Fashion Week is the only New Zealand fashion week designed especially for the public, which is a result of Dunedin's inclusive and welcoming spirit.

Key points

* In 2007, the main ID Show Saturday night was held in front of 1,550 people – and tickets sold out in 8 hours!

* The main event had 23 designers on the catwalk

* 800 people filled the Emerging Designers Show on the Friday night

* 35 designers from around the world were accepted as finalists for the Emerging Show

* 89 media representatives attended, including a number from Australia.

* New events made it a full week

ENDS

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