Preparations are full steam ahead for the iD Dunedin Fashion Show being held this Friday and Saturday as part of iD Dunedin Fashion Week.
The railway station will be transformed into a catwalk to showcase collections ranging from New Zealand fashion royalty to smaller brands as well as this year’s finalists in the iD International Emerging Designer Awards.
Strutting across the catwalk each night will be 65 models, with 40 make-up and hair stylists, aided by 25 students from Te Pūkenga Otago Polytechnic to help them get from one end to the other as fashionably as possible .
The show put out an open casting call this year to modelling agencies around the country as well as members of the public who wanted to give modelling a go.
Backstage manager Barbara Power said there was a diverse range of models, "those who’ve done it before and who haven’t".
"Everyone has different skills and all of the models come at it with different background," she said.
The show provided them plenty of opportunities for networking with designers at national and local levels.
A lot of work went into preparing the show. The catwalk, electrical equipment and areas for garments to be stored were being constructed over a week.
Despite the big list of tasks to tick off, Ms Power was confident in her team’s ability to put on a fine show.
"I don’t see anything as an obstacle, really. There’s always a lot of little fires to put out but that’s just part of the job," she said.
"The most rewarding part is being party to the creativity that’s involved with making and designing clothes and the fantastic spirit everyone brings to the event.
"It’s a heck of a lot of fun."
