There is something happening in Ōtepoti. For over 20 years iD Dunedin has been a champion for young graduate fashion designers. This year, as the iconic fashion show transitions to a biennial format, a multidisciplinary festival is taking place instead, with exhibitions, talks, workshops, and fashion presentations scheduled for early April. 

At the heart of the festival is As We Watch The World Go By (AWWTWGB), a fashion show event organised by a group of young design creatives, Finn Mora-Hill, Jack King, Ethan Cruise and James Warrender. They share a collective love of the craft but also frustration with what is often an inaccessible industry – the driving force behind the inception of the show.

In the context of an industry where access points can be famously opaque, the designers are flexing their agency and taking control. When young creatives collaborate and organise, the industry gravitates.

The collective states that “our project came about as we were put off by the gatekeeping nature of the fashion industry… and the struggle that young designers have when it comes to getting their work out there.” Developing from a successful pop-up in 2022, the designers “were charmed by the intertwined and close-knit nature of the community, in combination with the lack of fashion shows happening in the South Island… So we decided to do the show in Ōtepoti.”

Forever the centre for esoteric style, Ōtepoti Dunedin’s creative output matches the majestic landscape and neo-gothic aesthetic of the city’s architecture. This has permeated across multiple mediums, fostering a rich creative tapestry for the city. It has been the chosen home to some of our most beloved artists, musicians and designers, from Ralph Hotere and Marilynn Webb to The Verlaines and Nadia Reid, Nom*D and Company of Strangers. 

iD fashion week co-chairs Margot Barton and Sally McMillan speak to this legacy. “Ōtepoti has such a long rich creative history across all artforms. There's a real sense of camaraderie amongst creatives here… our young people are able to experiment and thrive within a very supportive – and highly experienced – community.”

Beyond this, the rent is cheap, and the rhythm of the town offers a space for creativity to thrive. “People talk a lot about the inspiration of our beautiful architecture and landscapes and wildlife provide,” Barton states, “but there's an excitement in shaping the next part of the city's creative history that provides its own inspiration and impetus for young creatives to succeed.” That is exactly what AWWTWGB intend to do.

Conceptual expression, upcycling, and the dismantling of gender binaries and seasonal structures are central to the collective kaupapa. The 25 designers scheduled for the show represent a diverse cohort of fashion design graduates and artists (even a med school student) from across the country who all choose fashion as their creative medium of choice. The collective has set a theme of ‘existentialism’, allowing designers to reflect on the current issues dominating our newsfeeds in this time of existential dread.

Speaking to the importance of audience engagement, the collective wants to open “up the space for them to ask questions and break down the traditions of fashion brands being mysterious and opaque”. At the end of the day, they note, if there is no audience none of this is possible.

Rethinking the structure of the fashion show presentation and breaking the barriers between the clothes and the audience is important. “Generally, fashion shows can be an intimidating space and have a gatekeeping nature which can impact audience perception and not allow for a comfortable space for the garments to be properly processed and thought about.”

A planned afterparty at Catacombs nightclub will enable the designers to interact with the audience followed by a week-long exhibition for the wider public to come along and view the designs.

Fashion shows are also expensive, especially with extra fees to participate within some of the larger stages of the industry, alongside the already high cost of production and travel. There is no cost to participate in AWWTWGB: “We wanted to offer a minimal barrier of entry to let all walks of life create and showcase a collection.” In terms of finding the designers to be part of the event, the organisers say “they found us!” following an open casting call.

From the ethos to the branding, AWWTWGB presents an aesthetic of cool, but earnestness and care are at its core. The name came from the inspiration the designers get from “the people we see walking around town, drawing on ideas as we watch the world go by.” 

Emerging creatives like these are conscious of the inequality of access to the industry and want to engage in critical conversations to transform it. “We want to tell a story of the current youth culture in New Zealand,” they say. “Everyone has or is going through shit at the moment and we are a small enough country where we can find similarities and bring everyone together through these emotions.”

At the heart of their mission is community. “To us that means having an element of selflessness, making connections, pushing through hardship together and sharing the victories between all of our peers. People say you need to be thick-skinned for the fashion industry, but with the right people around us, it allows for sensitivity and a slower-paced approach.”

As for future events? “We would love to grow the community that has made this one possible and manifest our little universe to continue to present forward-thinking alternatives to fashion shows with an emphasis on community, breaking down traditions and getting everyone involved to watch the world go by with us.”

‍*AWWTWGB takes place on Saturday April 6 at King Edward Court in Ōtepoti Dunedin. For tickets, visit worldgoby.co.nz. For the iD fashion festival, visit idfashion.co.nz