Accolades ... British designer Zandra Rhodes gets a
standing ovation at the end of the show, with (from left)
models Ella Buchanan and Clementine Trengrove and judge
Andrew Logan. Photo by Jane Dawber
Dunedin has become a hub for fashion in the South Island,
and holds its own against Auckland, Wellington and other cities
for fashion supremacy in New Zealand, writes Maya Turei, of
Logan Park High School.
We may not have the famed ‘Department Store' of Auckland, but
we do have a raft of small independent retailers like Void
and Belle Bird, who order, and sell, only the coolest of
homegrown and international brands.
ID Fashion Week was a few weeks back, and it was brilliant.
Being a lowly and poor high school student, I was unable to
attend the runway shows, but I was still exceptionally
excited to see Isaac Hindin Miller (a premier New Zealand
fashion blogger) roaming the streets of our fair city, as
well as the scores of beautiful people wandering around
wearing NOM*D.
But there's a nasty side-effect that sometimes occurs when a
person takes an interest in brand fashion; an infection that
makes you highly pretentious and rude.
However it only affects some people, and others get the
impression that the major percentage of citizens who like (or
even love) fashion, are rich and snobby. This isn't true.
I am neither rich, nor snobby. Just because the last season
of Huffer, Madame Hawkeye, Stolen Girlfriend's Club, and
Lonely Hearts makes me squeal and jump up and down, does not
mean that I will stare through you, ignore you and/or judge
you.
I think that you can get the most amazing clothing from
op-shops and Trade Me for under ten dollars.
You don't need to buy a five hundred dollar Karen Walker
dress; why not make it? Or buy a similar one from
aforementioned wonderful op-shops and alter it.
Fashion isn't the scary world of anorexia, billion dollar
dresses and pretentious people.
Well, it can be.
But here in Dunedin it isn't. As long as you've got your
sneakers on the ground, you can not only succeed, but thrive
in this community.
All you've got to do is leave your impressions at the door,
and waltz on in.
- by Maya Turei, Year 13, Logan Park High School
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