Designer praises iD Fashion to the heavens

While the Dunedin fashion scene recovers from a week packed with 16 events, including two sold-out shows, organisers of iD Dunedin Fashion Week are already thinking of next year.

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Committee chairwoman Susie Staley said organisers were constantly thinking of ways to improve the event.

Running two fashion shows on consecutive nights looked to be a permanent change after Friday night's iD Dunedin Fashion Show attracted a near-capacity crowd and Saturday was sold out.

Placement of the iD Emerging Designer Awards could be altered as well, she said.

However, they had to be careful not to expand too much as the "ability of people to spend" was an issue.

The committee would meet soon to analyse costs, see what impact the two fashion shows had on the event's funding, and discuss any changes they would like to make, she said.

But it seemed many positive points would be discussed at the meeting.

"I don't think we as a committee could have asked for anything more."

Initial responses had been good and awareness of the event in other parts of the country left her feeling sure a sponsor would be obtained next year.

"We live in hope."

Meanwhile, in an interview with TV3, guest designer Zandra Rhodes said she believed the fashion on display during the week was of such a standard the world should take note.

"It's like the birth of a fashion scene and I'm at the beginning, seeing it happen."

The internationally acclaimed designer, whose trip with jeweller and sculptor Andrew Logan was sponsored by Anderson Lloyd, continued to praise the event by saying the emerging designer awards was "professionally run, with models fitting international standards" and the two fashion shows were an "amazing feat".

"Andrew and I loved the concept of the runway - it's a fabulous feature of the iD fashion show."

Otago Polytechnic School of Fashion academic leader Margo Barton said having the pair in Dunedin was "astounding".