Otago Polytechnic has revealed the top six designers of this year’s iD International Emerging Designer Awards.
Sara Kickmayer from Institut Français de la Mode was awarded first place with her ‘Real Utopia’ collection which was inspired by modular transformable structures and shapes.
Min-Yan Tsai from Taiwan’s Shih Chien University with ‘Flourish Tumulus’ collection won the second place sponsored by Anita Greene, followed by Mengzhe (Justin) Chi from Fashion Institute of Technology, the US with ‘Put on-Take Off’ collection.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Lydia Paine, a graduate of Massey University, was named Viva Best NZ Emerging Designer with her ‘Mother & Mode’ collection which is “ a poignant reflection upon family, family history and crafts passed down through generations”.
“It’s encouraging to see that the future of fashion is in good hands,” said Head judge Tanya Carlson. “There is an overarching move toward an intimate process of creativity and hand making, with a number of students incorporating hand knitting in their collections.
“All emerging designers engage in sustainable practice and all share a desire to create fashion which leaves a lighter footprint.”
Other award winning designers are Gisella Candi from University of Technology Sydney with Wool prize and Olivia Rubens from London College of Fashion in Canada with iD Dunedin Most Sustainable Collection.
Eleven New Zealand finalists and five Australian finalists showed their garments on the runway before the premiere screening of 2021 iD International Emerging Designer Awards Film.
