By Jena Carr
Geelong’s emerging designers can showcase their fashion style and commitment to sustainable fashion by submitting an original outfit for a global prize.
The City of Greater Geelong and the National Wool Museum launched the We the Makers Sustainable Fashion Prize this week, with entries open until April 16.
National Wool Museum senior curator Josephine Rout said that this was the second time the prize would be offered after it was first launched in 2020 and would continue as a biennial event.
“We’ve made some slight adjustments and changes this year,” Mrs Rout said.
“The prize is for emerging designers, and we stipulate that they have less than 10 years of industry experience.
“We’re aware that the past few years have been difficult for young designers to establish themselves in the industry.
“It is that financial support that a lot of emerging designers need to help them get into the industry.
“It is very much for people who have a desire to be professional fashion designers,” she said.
Mrs Rout said the prize decision panel would consist of three judges and that people from around the world and of any age could enter.
“There isn’t a particular category (that entries will be judged on) because we don’t want to limit people’s creativity,” she said.
“It will be fun to see what works come out.”
Mrs Rout said that entrants would be judged on the design innovation of their garments and the designer’s sustainable cause.
“Sustainable fashion has many different definitions. It might be under the materials are sustainable, but the production is not ethical,” she said.
“So, it’s not just about the materials that are used, although that’s a major consideration, but their production methods and business model.”
Mrs Rout said the prize was a Geelong UNESCO City of Design Project and would be split up into two parts that began with the prize submissions and concluded with an exhibition.
“There’s the call for entries but then there’s also the exhibition of the top 20 designs that will open at the National War Museum on June 1 and close on October 29,” she said.
“It’s also going to coincide with Geelong design week at the end of October, so we’ll be planning events in public programs around the exhibition.”
Entries will go into the running to win the $10,000 National Wool Museum Designer of the Year Award and the $2000 UNESCO City of Design People’s Choice Award.
Details: wethemakers.com.au
