Europe Regional Finals International Woolmark Prize 2015/16
The International Woolmark Prize is an annual fashion award-show hosted by the Woolmark Company. Round 1: A selected group of promising fashion designers/brands, (70 labels nominated from 23 countries) will first compete within their region for the chance to win the Woolmark Prize at the International Finals. Both finalists (mens- and womenswear designers) will receive about €33,900 to execute the collection which they will compete with at the international final shows. Round 2/Finals: The menswear final will be held at the Pitti Uomo in Florence, in January 2016, and the womenswear final in New York in February 2016. Prize: The 2 winning collections will be sold at a.o. the I.T. Store at Harvey Nichols, MyTheresa and Matchesfashion. The winners will receive €67,800 (approx.) for the development of their brand. Last year’s winners were Marcia Patmos (womenswear) and Public School (yes, menswear) both from the USA.
European Finals at the MOMU in Antwerp. Yesterday, July 13, it was time to choose the European finalists. They showed one finished outfit and were also judged by their designs, on paper, for the capsule collection of 6 outfits, all will be made in Australian Merino Wool.
We, at Mimi Berlin, were rooting for Dutch Designers Nanna van Blaaderen and Jonathan Christopher to win a spot in the Final competition…. And they did! WOW! They both were selected for Round 2: The Final Shows held in 2016!!
We shared a coach on the train with the winners on our way back to Amsterdam; they wondered if there ever were final shows with 2 Dutch designers. We didn’t know, couldn’t remember……….But if Nanna van Blaaderen and Jonathan Christopher àre the first, which is not unlikely, that would be SO extra special!