Proving women are not the only followers of fashion, contemporary tailoring for style-conscious men blew the judges away at the iD Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards last night, where menswear collections won four of the seven major prizes.
Twenty-eight finalists from across the globe sent their models down the catwalk in front of a sold-out crowd at the Lion Foundation Arena.
Now in its sixth year, the show did not disappoint when it came to fashion-forward style.
From fluorescent pink suits to hair-filled plastic pants, the crowd, and host, TV3's Samantha Hayes, relished each piece.
Otago Polytechnic School of Fashion academic leader Margo Barton said it showed the gap between New Zealand, Australian and European design was closing.
"This is hugely encouraging for young New Zealand designers; it's so important that we support them to continue to define their craft."
Igor Galas (27), of Croatia, was awarded the Life Pharmacy first prize of $5000 and the Mittelmoda prize, allowing him direct entry to show at Mittelmoda in Italy, for his collection "Protector from Knitted Galaxy".
His collection ranged from shell-like tops to a wedding dress. Each piece was crafted with giant, 2cm thick, knitting needles.
Having studied at the Faculty of Textile Technology, in Zagreb, he admitted he was obsessed with handmade knitting.
"Everything I do, I want to be hand-knitted from thick wool."
Second place, and the $3000 Dunedin City Council prize, went to Ryota Shiga (24), from Japan, who studied at the Sugino Fashion College.
Third place, the $1000 Mild Red prize, went to Ichiro Suzuki (29), of London, who studied at the London College of Fashion.
His collection, "Tweedissimo Volume 2", mixed classic techniques with contemporary silhouettes and used tweed and tartan.
Paula Kyle Walden (26), of Australia, who studied at the Queensland University of Technology, won the $1000 Golden Centre jewellery award for her collection "Inner Battles".
Sandra Tupu (45), who studied at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), won the Otago Institute of Design sustainability award, worth $2500, for her collection "Tatau".
For her collection "It's What You Do to Me", Brooke Fairgray (20), who studied at the Whitecliffe College of Art and Design in Auckland, won a three-month residency with the Dunedin Fashion Incubator.
Laura Marshall (22), who studied at Otago Polytechnic, won the Pacific Blue travel prize, while Glenn Yungnickel (24), who studied at AUT, won the Pulp Magazine pulp fashion culture award, securing him editorial coverage of his collection "In the Red", and a one-year subscription.
The finalists were judged on Wednesday by a panel comprising guest judge, designer Zandra Rhodes; Stefano Sopelza, of Mittelmoda, Italy; Sunday magazine fashion and beauty editor Katie Newton; and fashion blogger Isaac Hindin-Miller.
The judges said Galas' collection had a strong, cohesive theme and demonstrated a great range of skills.
"His collection demonstrated individuality, and his modesty in presenting his collection and describing how he made it was refreshing," Rhodes said.
Judges for the jewellery section were Dunedin sculptor and jeweller David McLeod, and international sculptor and jewellery designer Andrew Logan.
Limited tickets are still available to the iD Dunedin Fashion Show tonight and tomorrow night at the railway station.
