And full marks to the Ali McD models, who in higher-than-ever heels carried out their long walks along the 110m catwalk with assured grace.
Tanya Carlson opened the show and, with the cool confidence of a seasoned trooper, she presented the garments of her "Rue des Germaine" collection, pared down and uncluttered for a pure Carlson experience.
The bright pinks, vibrant teal and sienna were set perfectly against a backdrop of gentle grey and navy. Signature Carlson was there, too, in subtly sexy velvet and the strong classic lines of the pink Grace coat and the figure-skimming Zoe dress. She lives in Auckland now; it's always good to have her back.
Adding mystique, as always, was the styling of the Nom*D garments and what must be a landmark collection hit the catwalk loaded with black hats and attitude. "Danse Macabre" showcased a sonorous balance of wovens and winter knitwear.
A striking white outfit provided an ethereal opening for a collection of mainly blacks, greys and metallics. Military overtones were seen in sequinned sleeved T-shirts, over-sized singlets and cleverly constructed vests and jackets. Colour dashes were courtesy of navy and purple plaids.
An iD show initiate, Auckland shoe designer Kathryn Wilson delivered with a step-by-step tour of her fabulous footwear world. The shoes, ankle boots and knee boots were high and often platform in lush suede, fuchsia, Dijon mustard and delightful patterns, brought along the runway by models in body suits to maintain foot focus. Attention did stray when grabbed by Boh Runga's jewellery!
This year Mild Red left most colour behind, Donna Tulloch concentrating on the dark side for her strong Black Knight collection. Bringing together knitwear and wovens she created an intriguing story around jackets, vests, bags, trousers and chain-mail that whispered of King Arthur's court in modern mode.
Hoods replaced scarves, chain-mail-style mesh bags swung from hips and draped burn-out velvets created a contrast to the heavier wools, cottons and oilcloth finishes.
Charmaine Reveley's "Night Garden" was a concentration of blacks, smoke grey and soft dove for surely the established designer's most scintillating or - in her words - "grown-up" - collection yet. Her love of lace, silk and georgette showed particularly in a sensual silk georgette fabric featuring clusters of hand-embroidered sequins, custom-designed for "Night Garden".
A bow print dress and top gave a nod to her inherent respect of the printing process - and her sustained flair. Warm belted jackets and a chunky knit jersey acknowledged colder days ahead.
Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting brought preppy style to the catwalk with their twenty-seven names "Fearsome Five" collection. Girlie dresses - pleated, gathered and frilled - were juxtaposed with striped cropped blazers, complete with crests and white trim. Pretty printed velvet dresses were another salute to their youth.
Her directional 2011 collection "Strangelove" saw Sarah Aspinall move seamlessly between femininity and androgony. Her mix of soft dresses and shirts with staunch vests, cropped tuxedo jackets and panelled leggings reinforced that free-wheeling style of her Company of Strangers label. An exuberant array of her leather bags and jewellery showed her versatility.
The magic of beautiful fabrics and refined design was brought home by the the collection of international guest and globally revered designer Akira Osogawa, of Sydney. His exquisite pieces captured his mastery of translating fabrics into soft, figure-enhancing silhouettes. The originality of his embellishments - which often, incidentally, include his wok-fried sequins - are also a signature.
Guest designer from Auckland Liz Mitchell also entranced. Compelling garments from her 2011 "The Scent Of Peony" collection introduced exotic beauty in metallic lace cheung sams and the elegance of satin cocktail frocks. Also shown were archive pieces from her "Night Flowers Of The Pacific" collection. But the undisputed show-stopper was her opulent brick-red evening gown.
Wellington designer Lela Jacobs' strengths are in knowledge and love of natural fabrics and textures and her collaborations with crafts people. This came through clearly in her "This Crooked Way" collection for men and women. It embraced imaginative outerwear including possum and merino ponchos and generous scarves. A linen coat with silk and wool blend lining was a key garment.
The capsule collections were, indeed, smaller but still created a strong catwalk presence with their spirited individuality.
Sisters Emily Cooper (Silkbody) and Tamsin Cooper created an original styling mix when they teamed up their two labels. The sleek and simple lines of the Silkbody separates, hats and dresses acted as either an ideal canvas for the Tamsin Cooper jewellery and accessories or were happily paired with Tamsin's handcrafted velvet coats.
Once again it was great to see Vaughan Geeson back on Dunedin turf and as focused as ever. This time his was a delightful take on 1950s chic and a nod to Art Deco, a hit being his Jackie dress in a rich Japanese print. There was also the Comet T-shirt and a print skirt teamed with a cropped cardigan.
The Elusiv, menswear brand, created in Dunedin by Nicola Reilly, and now based in Tauranga, brought dressy and casual separates, including screen-printed dress shirts and suits to the catwalk. That it targets the contemporary Kiwi man who likes a bit of style is evident.
Elegant faux fur accessories worked well with the definitive design approach of Marie Strauss and her Dada Vintage range that focuses on stylish upmarket womenswear. Soft duck-egg blue Italian wool created a stand-out coat while a one-off shirt dress with a Mick Jagger screen print pleaded for attention.
It was a revelation to have Richard Moore back at the railway station after a nine-year absence. Now in Auckland, Richard continues to design covetable knitwear with wovens. A tactile long-line chunky lace-knit cardigan showed alongside a cardigan with military nuances. Long-line jumpers were worn as dresses, his collection capped off nicely by a long electric blue pleated dress.
Knitwear is also a focus of Emilie Pullar and Abby van Schreven's inaugural "Moumiya" collection for their Maaike label. Soft layering and masculine detail merged for edgy attitude while long warm scarves picked up the collection's black, white and grey theme.
Former Otago Polytechnic student Katie-Maree Coleman with her label Katie-Maree Cole has made strong inroads into the fashion industry since the label's 2010 launch. Sassy skirts and shirts and pert dresses were a foil for a street-savvy patent finished jacket.
Dunedin's champion of "slow fashion" Ava Sanders' Lou and Ash hand-knitted and crocheted collection was back with enhanced commercial appeal and a showing of colour, warmth and fun in her cardigans, dresses, jerseys and crocheted shorts.
The vitality and energy of the Otago Polytechnic School of Fashion graduates is always reflected in their collections. This year the audience was treated to the fresh creativity of Sara Dooley, Rachel Webb, Amelia Boland, Liz Ung and Elise Barnes.
Yet another show feature was the parade of outfits from the winners of Thursday night's Emerging International Designer Awards.
And bringing a burst of whimsical beauty to the catwalk was a selection from the magnificent Darnell Vintage collection curated by one of the week's special guests, Charlotte Smith and highlighting fashion from the '50s, '60s and '70s. As the jazz played there was no better way to lead into the designers' finale victory walk ending the show for another year.