Joining Casablanca, Thebe Magugu, Lecavalier and more.
Adding to a list of six nominees, designer Bethany Williams has been announced as a finalist for the 2021 international Woolmark Prize.
Choosing the finalists from more than 380 applicants from 55 countries, the six finalists this year are Bethany Williams, Casablanca, Kenneth Ize, Lecavalier, Matty Bovan and Thebe Magugu. These six finalists showcased a commitment to upholding the prize’s pillars of product excellence, innovation, supply-chain transparency, sustainability and inclusivity.
Chosen by the International Woolmark Prize’s Advisory Council, the competition has the theme of “less is more” and a focus on “slow and responsibly produced fashion and craftsmanship. Amongst a roster of the industry expects, Naomi Campbell, a new member of the Council, said:
“Now more so than ever, in these incredibly challenging times for our industry, we must continue to support and nurture the emerging voices in fashion design. They are the future, and I look forward to seeing what creative and innovative work comes out of this year’s entries to push our industry’s ongoing mission in diversity and sustainability.”
Sinéad Burke, another member of the expert panel, shared Campbell’s thoughts:
“The International Woolmark Prize has never been more needed – a conduit to educate and provoke new ideas and ways of working invoking sustainability, accessibility and equity. With mentoring and funding, it shapes the trajectory for a new generation of designers in a meaningful and transformative way. IWP connects people and planet, understanding the connectivity and agency between the two.”
The winner of the prize will receive $200,000 AUD (approximately $146,000 USD) to invest in their business, while another designer will win the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation.
