A Night Celebrating New Zealand’s Future Designers

The Otago Polytechnic Graduate Fashion Show 2025 brought together some of the most exciting emerging fashion talent in New Zealand. Students from Year One, Year Two, Year Three and the Post Graduate Master of Design programme showcased their creativity, technical skills and design identity on the runway. Direct Sewing Machines and Supplies was proud to attend the show and support this important moment for the next generation of New Zealand designers.

This annual showcase is a key event in the New Zealand fashion education calendar and highlights the high standard of work coming through the Otago Polytechnic School of Design.

Celebrating the Top Award of the Night

Congratulations to Nick Medelnik

One of the major highlights of the evening was presenting the Overall Excellence Award, the top prize of the entire graduate show, to Nick Medelnik. Nick was recognised by the Otago Polytechnic Fashion faculty for his dedication, creativity and the skill he brings to his work. His designs showed a strong understanding of garment construction, pattern work and finishings, and it was great to see his efforts acknowledged at such an important event.

As part of the award, Nick will receive a Singer industrial sewing machine from Direct Sewing Machines and Supplies. This machine will power his future creations and collections and support his growth as a New Zealand designer.

Real World Industry Skills on Show

Retail Client Industry Project

Another standout part of the evening was the Retail Client Industry Project presented by the Year Two students. This project gives students genuine real world industry experience by working with retail partners and producing garments with commercial direction and customer focus.

The collections were developed across three retail pathways:
• Plume – Bracken Eaves, Polly Figgins, Monet Jamieson, Charli Mirfin
• Chapman Store – Aria Monks, Amber Stevenson, India Woodward-Leth
• Company Store – Elizabeth Grounds, Hannah McArthur, Sylvie Moore, Maia Puricelli Callau

We really enjoyed this segment. It demonstrated professionalism, problem solving and commercial awareness. Designing for an actual retailer requires understanding of fit, customer needs, pricing and garment production standards. These students showed that they are already thinking like industry professionals.

The Retail Client Industry Project is a great example of why Otago Polytechnic graduates enter the fashion industry with strong real world skills and industry readiness.

Why Industrial Sewing Machines Matter for Fashion Students

Industrial sewing machines play a crucial role in fashion education and professional garment construction. They provide speed, strength and consistency that cannot be achieved on domestic machines, especially when working with heavier fabrics, denim, tailoring or production-level techniques.

Common machines used by fashion students and designers include:
• Straight-stitch industrial sewing machines
• Industrial overlockers for clean edge finishing and stretch garments
• Industrial coverstitch machines
• Industrial buttonhole machines for clean, precise buttonholes
• Industrial keyhole machines for jackets, coats and tailored garments
• Walking-foot machines for leather, outerwear and heavy fabrics
• Pressing and garment finishing equipment

Direct Sewing Machines and Supplies supports fashion schools, studios and students across New Zealand with reliable industrial equipment suitable for collection development, sampling, production techniques and final graduate collections.

Supporting Students Working From Home

Domestic Sewing Machines for Collection Development

Many fashion students complete their work at home as they prepare for shows, deadlines or assessment. Domestic sewing machines are essential for this, allowing students to continue sewing outside studio hours.

We support students by offering:
• Reliable domestic sewing machines suitable for fashion study
• Affordable beginner models for early-year learning
• Mid-range machines ideal for graduate collections
• Domestic overlockers for home-based garment finishing
• Compact and portable machines for small workspaces

Domestic sewing machines give students flexibility to sew whenever inspiration or deadlines strike, helping them complete garments to a high standard while working from home.

Pattern Making Equipment for Fashion Education in New Zealand

Pattern making is one of the most important skills in fashion design. Accurate patterns lead to well-fitted, well-constructed garments, and the right tools make a major difference.

Popular pattern making equipment used by New Zealand fashion students includes:
• Pattern masters
• French curves
• Grading rulers
• Set squares
• Notchers
• Tracing wheels
• Awls
• Chalks and marking tools

Direct Sewing Machines and Supplies offers a complete range of pattern making tools used by fashion schools, studios and independent designers across New Zealand.

Creativity, Skill and Community

A Strong Showing from Every Year Level

From Year One students presenting their first wearable experiments to Year Three students showcasing full collections, and the Post Graduate students demonstrating advanced design thinking, the evening was filled with talent and innovation. The School of Design production team, student models and supporting partners created a polished, professional runway experience.

Events like this show how well-supported the fashion programme is and how much dedication the students put into their work.

Direct Sewing Machines and Supplies

Proud Partners of New Zealand’s Fashion Community

We are passionate about supporting New Zealand’s next generation of fashion designers. Whether it is industrial sewing machines, domestic machines for home sewing, industrial overlockers, pattern making equipment or professional sewing tools, we are committed to supplying the equipment that helps students learn, create and build careers.

We are proud to support Otago Polytechnic and to celebrate the achievements of designers like Nick Medelnik. The future of New Zealand fashion is bright, and we look forward to continuing our support for the country’s fashion schools, studios and emerging designers.