The godmothers of Dunedin fashion previewed their new season collections alongside the iD Emerging Designer finalists on Saturday night. Fashion writer Katie Day went along to see what we can look forward to this spring-summer.
In the depths of a dark winter’s night, Dunedin’s fashion ‘‘Godmothers’’ brought the warmth of their spring/summer collections to the catwalk at the iD Dunedin Fashion Gala Show.
The fashion gala crowned iD Dunedin fashion week with a two-shows-in-one-night event. The first half displayed the collections of New Zealand and Australia emerging designers finalists and the second half displayed the new-season collections of Dunedin’s fashion godmothers, Donna Tulloch of Mild-Red, Tanya Carlson of Carlson, Sara Munro of Company of Strangers, Charmaine Reveley of her namesake label and Margarita Robertson of NOM*d.
As the evening commenced, the crowd milled with curious anticipation in the dimly lit foyer of Otago Museum, a sea of iconic Dunedin black, wrapped in warm woollen winter coats — notes of caramel and deep red adding warmth to their black canvases. Conversation buzzed and predictions were made about trends one might see in new-season collections and common threads that might appear in collections designed in adverse conditions.
The New Zealand and Australia emerging designer finalists’ collections hit the runway. Soft natural colour palettes of creams, browns and greens could be thematically seen across collections, softer muted tones were juxtaposed with extravagant ceremonial silhouettes and avant-garde tailoring. Textile development displaying an exploration of print, layering, sculpture and knit, engaged the senses and opened the mind, provoking curious consideration of the tactility of our garments.
The audience celebrated the familiarity of the godmothers’ iconic design identities, as the second half of the show began.
Mild-Red’s new season collection emerged leading the charge. Homage was paid to Dunedin’s gothic design influences as a dark intriguing mood was established using a denser colour palette of ink, slate grey, black, chocolate brown, warmed with a deep maroon. Distortion of symmetry was seen through asymmetric layered panels and through a warped grey and black plaid print featured on slim-fitting pants. Linear structure informed the silhouettes of the garments, with a-line sleeves and silhouettes adding thoughtful volume to coats. Neck details featured with small, close-fitting, stand-up collars and strap closures. Warmth and texture were found in the woollen fabrics that formed the collection.
Tanya Carlson’s collection heralded sweet summertime. Soft sea foam greens, butter yellow, muted rust and grey were invigorated by rich ruby red in a ’70s inspired colour way. Textiles were light, innocent and playful, featuring polka dots, small floral prints, transparent silk georgettes, and a rare fabric of note, cotton organza. A stiff and structured, yet light and diaphanous summertime fabric, formed into jackets and rainhats.
Silhouettes were inspired by a look to the past at Carlson’s favourite silhouettes.
“It’s based around favourite garments. It carried on from winter when I was designing during lockdown and trying to think about pieces that had longevity, that meant something to me, that were still favourite garments and things that I kept returning to over all the collections,” she says. Silhouettes included waisted garments featuring wraps, wide-leg pants, ’70s-style tiered dresses and a tuxedo jacket.
The collection was also designed to invite versatility and optimism, to honour what we’ve endured and cast vision to the hope that summer embodies.
“It’s been about designing things that are versatile. If you wanted to wear a dress to the beach, you could still wear it to a wedding or you could dress something up to be a work suit but then you could wear it as black tie if that came about.
“It’s a fun and optimistic collection, in the depths of a dark Dunedin Saturday night. It will be good to look forward to the warmth and the happiness that summer brings.”
Company of Stranger’s collection, designed by Sara Munro, followed suit, sharing garments that featured song notes of versatility. The styles were slouchy and relaxed with drop shoulders, styled with cardigans draped around the waist and shoulders, inspiring a feeling of home away from home.
Elegant edge was found in the effortless wear of the clothes as loose fitting T-shirt-style dresses with low gathered skirt panels glided down the runway. Gentle tones of silver grey, navy and duck egg blue, brown and peaches alchemised with the relaxed silhouettes and all echoed ease, finishing with raw edges.
Charm and timeless femininity were captured in Charmaine Reveley’s spring/summer collection, featuring a variety of long-line and long-sleeve straight cut dress silhouettes. Subdued shades of olive, navy, peach and grey guided the collection colours. Adornment was found in subtle ruffles around the neck, in delicate detailing of floral prints and the ethereal georgettes that fabricated many of the garments. Structure and texture completed the collection in the form of a textured bomber jacket and printed hoodie.
Hope was infused in the fibres of each godmother’s collection, with minimal black to be found across any.
Even Margarita Robertson’s fresh NOM*d collection ‘‘A.K.A’’ summer 2020-21 was no exception. Olive, navy, salmon, turquoise and greens lay the backdrop for one-of-a-kind prints and loose, layered, draped silhouettes were framed with pleated ruffle details around the shoulders.
Robertson’s design statement says nostalgic touchstones are reimagined through futuristic possibilities.
‘‘The texture of cross-stitch is manipulated into a coded cyber language. In an ode to the alias or nom de plume, faces of cultural heroes are collaged together on cotton and viscose, forging a new kind of disguise for the heat of summer.’’
