Martin Grant, not a household name that is known to many Australian’s until he was announced as the new designer for the Qantas Airways uniforms last year (pictured above at the launch with Miranda Kerr). But for fashion lovers, he is the designer who has consistently shown at Paris Fashion Week, dressed the likes of Cate Blanchett and Lee Radziwill and is an impeccable leader in taste and tailoring.
And he’s bringing his Spring/Summer 2014 collection down under – to New Zealand that is – to show at iD Dunedin Fashion Week’s 15th anniversary show. Showing alongside cult Kiwi brand WORLD, Grant show case the collection which drew inspiration from an encounter between women’s swimwear from the 30s and Russian ballet dancers. As part of his duties, he will also be part of the judging panel for the 10th annual iD International Emerging Designer Awards and joins iD’s hall of fashion luminaries showing at the event, including Zandra Rhodes, Stephen Jones, Akira Isogawa and Lutz Huelle.
Martin Grant Spring/Summer 2014
“Even after 25 years of living in Paris, I still have very strong ties with the Antipodes, and never having had the chance to visit New Zealand, I thought this was the perfect opportunity,” Grant says in a release. “New Zealand has a strong fashion history and I am looking forward to discovering its new generation.”
iD Dunedin Fashion Week chair Susie Staley says this year’s international guest delivers something entirely new to iD – a current collection coming straight to Dunedin from Paris.
“Martin Grant is a name synonymous with style, grace and elegance and we are thrilled to have him as part of our 15th anniversary celebrations,” says Ms Staley. “iD crowds will be given an opportunity to see the latest fashion coming out of the Northern Hemisphere, placing iD firmly on the international fashion event calendar.”
Grant showing in the southern hemisphere is a rare occurrence, having launched his fashion brand in Paris over a decade ago and then working as the artistic director of Barneys Private Label for Barneys New York, and for Agnona (The Ermenegildo Zegna group) and has also created capsule collections for Moncler. If you can make it to Dunedin this April, it is an experience not to be missed.
Tickets are still available for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards on Thursday 3 April and the iD Fashion Show on Friday 4 April. Limited tickets are available for the iD Fashion Show on Saturday 5 April. Tickets can be purchased at TicketDirect venues (including the Regent Theatre, Dunedin), Ph 0800 4 TICKET or online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz. A booking fee applies.
