At a polytechnic council meeting last week one member expressed concerns fashion week — centred around the international emerging designers show this year — might leave for Wellington or Auckland. Members of the polytechnic council lauded this year’s fashion week — which ran from May 1 to May 6 and drew designers from 19 countries — as the best yet.
iD committee chairwoman and design lecturer Margo Barton said as long as the event had enough financial support it would stay in Dunedin.
"Hopefully, as long as we can get funding, we will be fine," she said.
"Its home is in Dunedin."
The DCC is the premier funder of the week, which is also sponsored by the polytechnic and business community. Ticket numbers were not yet available but Dr Barton agreed this year’s fashion week was the best yet, and said she was keen to retain the new format.
"It ebbs and flows, I guess, and this year was a highlight year."
Last year an application for $95,000 in funding was initially declined by the DCC amid concerns about the viability and governance of the event, but was later approved. Dr Barton said she was in the process of writing a funding application for next year’s event. It was a drawcard for students around New Zealand who were interested in studying fashion, because they got such a hands-on experience. Fashion students at the polytechnic had the opportunity to be involved in the week, the third-year students having a leadership role working backstage. First- and second-year students also helped out, doing tasks such as dressing models, or modelling.
"On top of that, we have a lot of students who have graduated but still want to be involved, and of course we say yes," Dr Barton said.
In the future she was keen to work more closely with high schools around the Otago area, getting more pupils involved in the fashion week. Having a special studio in the city for a "designer in residence" was also something she was keen to organise, but that was still in the discussion stage. She had to thank the "incredible technical people" at Strawberry Sound and Southern Lights and Services, she said.
