iD Dunedin Fashion Week – Dunedin, New Zealand, 5-10 April 2011
When Akira Isogawa, one of Australia’s most prominent contemporary fashion designers, arrives in town for iD Dunedin Fashion Week, he will bring with him a collection of exquisite designs which are highly sought after in every major fashion capital of the world. Further consolidating iD Dunedin’s place on the international fashion map will see Akira as a guest judge for the 2011 iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday 7 April, 2011.
Akira Isogawa will attend iD Dunedin Fashion Week as iD’s international guest designer, following in the footsteps of British fashion royalty Zandra Rhodes, who attended in 2010. His collection will be shown on the runway at the iD Fashion Shows on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 April.
Akira will arrive in New Zealand fresh from showing his Autumn/Winter collection at Paris Fashion Week. Since 1998, Akira has shown his collections in Paris, presenting to international buyers, and has shown at Australian Fashion Week every year since 1996. His designs are available globally.
Named as Designer of the Year and Womenswear Designer of the Year at the Australian Fashion Industry Awards in 1999, Akira brings a strong intellectual and cultural element to Fashion Week. His flair for innovation and his pattern-making skills and use of textiles is highly regarded within the fashion industry. His work has elicited favourable reviews in journals such as The New York Times and US Vogue.
Born in Kyoto, Japan, Akira moved to Australia in 1986 where he studied fashion design at the Fashion Design Studio, East Sydney Technical College (now Sydney Institute of Technology). Local Fashion Design Studio graduates include New Zealand fashion designer Tanya Carlson (CARLSON) and Otago Polytechnic fashion lecturer Margo Barton.
The judging panel for the 2011 iD International Emerging Designer Awards includes Akira Isogawa, international guest designer; Stefano Sopelza, project supervisor of the Mittelmoda Fashion Award, Italy; and renowned New Zealand fashion designers Margi Robertson and Tanya Carlson (Carlson).
A public lecture will be given by Akira Isogawa during iD Dunedin Fashion Week, on Thursday 7 April.
Watch out for further announcements including a national guest designer and other special guests.
Tickets for key events during iD Dunedin Fashion Week are still available at TicketDirect venues, on 0800 4 TICKET or purchase online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz; a booking fee applies.
For a full calendar of events visit www.idfashion.co.nz
Quotes
Akira Isogawa, international guest designer, www.akira.com.au
“I’ve found the creativity comes out of NZ has a unique point of view. As a designer, I find it important to stay in touch with new emerging talent and I hope I will be inspired by the fresh and newness of the creative emerging talent at the iD International Emerging Designer Awards.”
Margo Barton, Otago Polytechnic fashion lecturer and iD Committee member, www.idfashion.co.nz
“People who have sewn or made patterns can see the way Akira’s technical expertise is married with his creativity through his extraordinary pattern cutting, he is a master. In addition his textiles are often embellished and luxurious, and add a feminine twist to his architectural lines. Students and aficionados of fashion alike are in for a treat with Akira and his clothes, sumptuous is the word that comes to mind.”
Susie Staley – chair of iD Fashion Committee
“Akira’s presence at iD continues the high standards set by our previous international guest designer Zandra Rhodes. Akira’s attendance shows the ongoing development for iD in terms of bringing designers of this calibre to iD Dunedin Fashion Week. A limited number of tickets are still available to these ‘not be missed’ key events during iD Dunedin Fashion Week.”
The iD International Emerging Designer Awards will take place on Thursday 7 April 2011, starting at 7pm. Front-row tickets cost $70, second row and raised seating $55, and tiered seating $40. Tickets include a show gift bag and programme. The event will be held at the Lion Foundation Arena, Edgar Stadium, Dunedin, in front of an anticipated audience of more than 1200. Doors will open at 6.15pm.
The 2011 iD Dunedin Fashion Show will take place on Friday 8 April and Saturday 9 April, starting at 8pm, in front of an audience of 1500 each evening. Front-row tickets cost $110, second row and front-row carriage $90, third row $75, fourth row and second-row carriage $65. Tickets include a complimentary drink, show gift bag and programme. Doors will open at 6.30pm.
ENDS
For a full biography, images and interviews please contact:
Strategy First Ltd, Merrin Bath, +64 27 20 20 903 (national/international media), [email protected] .
Event enquiries:
Victoria Bunton, event co-ordinator, +64 21 990 040. Email [email protected].
About iD Dunedin Fashion Week, 5-10 April 2011
Join us in a celebration of all things fashion during iD Dunedin Fashion Week, now in its twelfth year from April 5-10, 2011. Experience Dunedin, as the city comes alive to launch fashion careers with a global line up of inspiring designers, creative talent and intimate fashion and retail events open to everyone.
Witness the next rising star of fashion design at the iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday 7 April. With a reputation for launching fashion careers from iD Dunedin into top European fashion houses and beyond, it’s the only fashion competition of its kind in New Zealand.
The iD Dunedin Fashion Show, on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 April, now over two nights will have you sipping champagne at the longest catwalk in the southern hemisphere in the city’s beautiful heritage railway station. Be captivated by special guest designer collections, the latest winter collections from ‘our Dunedin’ and leading NZ designers. The very next day, indulge in a shopping extravaganza to grab your favourite labels spotted in the shows.