British Finalists at Mango Fashion Awards

Spanish fashion retailer Mango selected the ten finalists for its second edition of the El Botón-Mango Fashion Awards. The candidates will compete for a prize of €300.000, which is the largest sum awarded to date in an event of this type. The jury, existing of five prestigious international design schools, including Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design, London, the Institut Français de la Mode, Paris, and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and representatives of Mango met to deliberate at the central offices of the fashion firm in Palau-solità i Plegamans in Barcelona.

From the 50 projects selected from over 200 received in the first round, the jury has selected ten finalists with the most talent and international projection. Three British designers are among the ten finalists: the duo Sinha Stanic, formed by Aleksandar Stanic and Fiona Sinha, which made it debut on the catwalk during London Fashion Week in 2005; Jean Pierre Braganza, of Asian and Irish origin, presented his debut collection in Milan in 2003; and Peter Pilotto, the brand which represents Peter Pilotto (Austrian) and Christopher de Vos (Lebanese), resident in London.

Mango will present the finalists during the catwalk of its new SS09 collection, which will take place in Barcelona on 11th November. During the event, the finalists will be awarded the Botón de Plata and a cheque for €18.000 to start designing the collection they will present at the final ceremony in May 2009.

Image: Mango Fashion Awards 2008