Sophie Hardy and Roxanna Zamani were selected from more than 700 applicants to travel to Gorizia, Italy, and show their innovative collections to the world on July 1.
Miss Zamani will show her collection, Incongruous, which featured in two iD Dunedin Fashion Week events. She hoped something would come from the exposure Mittelmoda received.
"Just being on that platform with all those other people is an achievement in itself."
However, finding the money to get to the awards would be a big challenge. She said she was seeking sponsorship to help fund the $3500 airfares and general travel expenses, and the cost of transporting her five bulky garments.
Miss Hardy will also show her iD collection, Possession Obsession. While excited about being part of Mittelmoda, she found it "quite overwhelming".
Seeing how Dunedin designers stacked up on a world stage and networking with others in the fashion industry were two things she was looking forward to.
She, too, was on the hunt for sponsorship to help fund her trip and knew the trip would "come around quite quickly".
Otago Polytechnic School of Fashion academic leader Margo Barton said she was "absolutely delighted and not surprised at all" by the pair's selection.
"I know that they will hold their own alongside the other designers competing at Mittelmoda this year.
"Their individual design handwriting and the strong design stories behind both of their collections will set them in good stead for thriving careers," she said.
The institution had a long history with the awards as the two latest selections were the seventh and eighth finalists from the polytechnic.
The winner of Mittelmoda will receive 10,000 (NZ$18270). Otago Polytechnic sponsors an eight-week scholarship for the designer who shows innovation in the use of materials and methods.
Prize-winning collections will be exhibited during Milan Fashion Week in September.
