Peroni collection bags first prize at iD Awards

Otago Polytechnic graduate Rakel Blom – originally from Iceland – took out the top Peroni First Place Prize at the iD Awards with her collection ‘The World Through My Eyes’, inspired and influenced by textiles and travel, which the judges described as “eclectic and joyful, sleek, chic and professional, with intricate detailing and true depth.”

“It absolutely had the ‘wow factor’ but also real depth,” says guest judge, Australian fashion authority Associate Professor Karen Webster.

“There was incredible intricate detailing, including handmade buttons, stars cut out of Perspex mixed with bold inspirational prints. The collection was a discovery waiting to be made.”

Hosted by FOUR’s Shannon Ryan, the packed out 1300 strong audience were wowed by the collections of 30 finalists from around the globe vying for top prizes. This year’s winners delivered on the international nature of the awards – coming from all around the world – from New Zealand to China, the UK to South Korea and Australia to Ireland.

This year’s winners are:
Peroni 1st Place Prize (NZ$5000): Rakel Blom, School of Design, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Caffe L’affare 2nd Place ($3000 cash): Emma Boseley, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia.
Strawberry Sound 3rd Place ($1000 cash): Kathleen Choo, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall Prize ($1,000) for the most commercial collection: Blathnaid McClean, National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Dublin, Ireland.
Global Fabrics Award for Excellence in Design ($1000 cash and a $2000 voucher): Sohong Lim, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Many of the stand-out finalists impressed the prestigious judging panel made up of UK milliner Stephen Jones, leading Australian fashion authorities Associate Professor Karen Webster and Glynis Traill-Nash, and Dunedin’s own Tanya Carlson and Margi Robertson (NOM*d) with their “inspiring and brave” use of technology, particularly in textile applications, and their diverse range of collections. Recycling was also used in the Global Fabrics Award winner, Sohong Lim’s collection.