LE WOOL, C'EST COOL

The Woolmark Prize for fashion creativity was conceived to help nascent talent succeed in an industry that, from the perspective of a newcomer, can appear formidable.

The Woolmark Prize has in its DNA coveted fashion design awards by the former International Wool Secretariat. In 1954, two then young, unknown women’s wear designers – Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent – won such prizes. Lagerfeld, then 21, was winner of the coat category. Nineteen-year-old Saint Laurent won the award for dress design. Two stars were born.

Heir apparent of that historic fashion occasion, today’s Woolmark Prize also recognizes and celebrates design excellence and innovation.

The aim of the Woolmark Prize is to highlight the importance of Merino wool to the fashion world by recognising, rewarding and showcasing emerging talent and the cutting-edge creativity that emphasizes the sensual, sculptural aspects of knit.

Open to fashion design students worldwide, the prize is conceived to give a leg-up to those most in need: the fashion designer on the cusp of commercial credibility.

For the inaugural Woolmark Prize in July 2008, an international panel of fashion experts hand-picked designers from around the world – China, Japan, Norway, England, Belgium, Germany and France – to participate. Each designer formulated a capsule collection emphasizing the sensual, sculptural aspects of knit.

The 2008 Woolmark Prize went to 30-year-old Shanghai designer, Qiu Hao. He graduated in interior design at Suzhou University before attending Central Saint Martins College London. Qiu Hao’s designs are distinguished by their razor sharp tailoring and smooth deconstruction in a largely monochromatic colour palette. Each collection is balanced by a measure of softness; a curve, a texture, a physical motion that eschews the obvious.

To find out more, email pr@wool.com

2008 finalists

LOUISE GOLDIN
Nationality: English
Age: 27
Studied: Central St Martins, London
Graduated: 2005
Label established: 2006

RUBECKSENYAMANAKA
Nationality: Norweigian/Japanese
Ages: 32/39
Studied: Royal College, London
Graduated: 2002
Label established: 2005

TOM SCOTT
Nationality: American
Age: 34
Studied: Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science/Scottish College of Textiles
Graduated: 1995
Label Established: 2001 

EVERLASTING SPROUT
(KEIICHI MURAMATSU & NORIKO SEKI)
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 26/26
Studied: Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo
Completed studies 2003
Label established: 2004

CHRYSTL FISCHER
Nationality: Belgian
Age: 29
Studied: La Cambre, Brussels/Institut francais dela Mode, Paris
Graduated: 2003
Label established: 2006

QIU HAO
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 30
Studied: Central St Martins, London/Su Zhou University, China
Graduated: 2001
Label established: 2002 

SHAO JIA
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 25
Studied: Beijing Institute of Technology
Graduated: 2004
Collection shown: Milan

COOPERATIEDESIGNS
(ANNALISA DUNN & DOROTHEE HAGEMANN)
Nationality: English/German
Age: 26/31
Studied: Central St Martins, London
Graduated: 2007
Label established: 2007

MARIELLE VAN DE VEN
Nationality: Dutch
Studied: HKA Institute for the Arts, Holland
Graduated: 2007
Label established: 2007

XAVIER BRISOUX
Nationality: French
Age: 30
Studied: Central St Martins, London
Graduated: 2005
Label established: 2006