iD finalists revealed

Twenty eight aspiring designers from as far abroad as Israel, Croatia, Switzerland, Austria and Canada and representing some of the most prestigious fashion schools around the world, have been selected to show at the 8th annual iD International Emerging Designer Awards in Dunedin on 29 March, 2012.

On the iD runway this year we can expect to see a strong representation of New Zealand and Australian designers (eight and 14 respectively), an increased focus on menswear and growing consideration for sustainable processes and the environment.

The finalists will showcase their collections on the 110m long (one of the world’s longest) catwalk to a panel of New Zealand fashion designers - Tanya Carlson (Carlson), Sara Aspinall (Company of Strangers) and Anjali Stewart (twenty-seven names) - alongside British fashion icon and special guest Hilary Alexander.

Winners from the 2012 iD International Emerging Designer Awards will go on to show at the iD Dunedin Fashion Show on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March 2012.

The 2012 iD finalists as follows:

New Zealand:

• Auckland University of Technology: Vihanga Mahesh Sontam. 
• Massey University: Luka Mues; Samantha Murray; Andie Ye Ji. 
• Otago Polytechnic: Grace Averis; Phillip Hawkins; Jojo Ross. 
• Whitecliffe College of Art and Design: Sally Huang; Yun Shin Do. 

Australia:

• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology: Carolina Barua; Allison Bell; Jon Cordiano; Katie Dickinson; Christina Exie; Jane Fuge; Chris Ran Lin. 
• University of Technology, Sydney: Penny Allen; Ben Bala; Kacey Devlin; Natalia Grzybowski; Patricia Kapeleris; Caitlin Murray; Keira Paradice. 

Austria:

• University of Applied Arts, Vienna: Tanja Bradaric & Taro Ohmae. 

Canada:

• Ryerson University: Yvonne Lin.

Croatia:

• University of Zagreb: Verdrana Mastela.

Israel:

• Shenkar College of Engineering and Design: Renana Krebs.

Switzerland:

• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW): Julia Klein-Klute.