What A Weekend!

The decision to return the iD Dunedin Fashion Show to the Dunedin Railway Station has been well and truly validated by the overwhelming positive feedback from audiences.

The two shows, which this year combined the ready-to-wear New Zealand fashion show with the iD International Emerging Designers Awards show, were sold out, one within just a few days. The associated events were very well attended and audiences enjoyed the varied opportunities to meet designers and to hear insights into the fashion industry and its history – as well the opportunities to shop!

Retailers said they were very busy and, in many cases, had quite different customers to their regulars. Sara Munro from Company of Strangers, who showed their new collection at the show and also held a Meet the Designers event in-store, said, “I had such lovely positive feedback from our customers, many of whom had traveled from all over the country to come to iD again. We had an incredible turnout to our Meet the Designers event – it was such a fun buzzy day and so nice to reconnect with the loyal iD fans again! Retail-wise, with so many fashionistas in town, we sold out of many styles in our new collection!”

iD Dunedin Fashion Inc Co-chair Sally McMillan says, “We are delighted to be back. The many obstacles we’ve navigated to get iD back on the runway at the Dunedin Railway station with finalists from 25 countries – a pandemic, a war in Europe, recent weather events in NZ, funding challenges, increased compliance – were all worth it. We hope that our iD faithful feel they have been richly rewarded for their love and loyalty.”

Some iD numbers that may be of interest:

• Established New Zealand designers - 23
• Emerging Designers finalists - 25
• Show audience - 2,200
• Other events - 24
• Percentage of attendees from outside Dunedin - 32%
• Average daily spend - $185
• Percentage of people who visited the Meridian Mall pop-up shop - 20%
• Visitors to the Emerging Designers exhibition at Tūhura Otago Museum - 8,408
• Partners who supported iD either financially or with contra - 44
• Volunteer hours:
• Hair and make-up artists - 40 people - 280 hours
• Backstage and dressers - 30 people - 420 hours
• Set up and ushers - 30 people - 60 hours
• Social media work experience - 1 person - 45 hours
• Board - 6 people - approximately 500 hours
• Models - 65
• Production crew - 7
• Events team - 7

Waste sent to landfill (thanks ResAwesome!) - only 2 woolsacks!

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