Teatum Jones wins International Woolmark Prize

New York - It was a night for a competition that would change one designers career, well in this case two. The winners of this year's International Woolmark Prize were selected, and Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones of Teatum Jones from the United Kingdom came out on top.

The design duo was so flabbergasted by their win, they stuttered while saying "Wool has got such a rich history, and we are really happy to be a part of that legacy."

The other five labels competing this season included J Koo from South Korea, Bianca Spender from Australia, Nanna van Blaaderen from The Netherlands, Taller Marmo from the United Arab Emirates, and Tanya Taylor from the U.S.A.

The runway show was the last chance the designers had to showcase their collections before a panel of judges which included former Vogue editor-at-large, Andre Leon Talley, editor-in-chief of W, Stefano Tonchi, ceo of Business of Fashion, Imran Amed, fashion consultant, Julie Gilhart, managing director of Woolmark, Stuart McCullough, fashion designer, Thakoon Panichgul, fashion editor, Tim Blanks, executive director of Just Group, Colette Garnsey, fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, Roopal Patel, buying director of mytheresa.com, Justin O'Shea, womenswear general manager of David Jones, Sophie Clark, group fashion buying director of Harvey Nichols, Anita Barr, fashion and buying director of Boutique 1, Bridget Cosgrave, and Kenji Yamashita, the general manager of ladies and intimate apparel for Isetan Mitsukoshi.

While Teatum Jones came out on top, the other designers proved that they were also skilled users of merino wool as well.

J. Koo had a strong Asian street style influence to his collection, and paid homage to denim. The collection, which was inspired by female mine workers from the Gold Rush era was very innovative. The label took wool and readapted it to create wool denim that had to undergo a series to wash tests and experiments conducted on it to ensure it would look as close to traditional denim as possible.

Bianca Spender from Australia created a collection that brought the old money look of the 50s and combined it with contemporary glamour. Part of the inspiration for her collection came from the idea of clothing as shelter, protection, and form of currency.

Nanna van Blaaderen had a few construction issues in her collection. The first dress she sent down the runway was impossible to walk in, and there was a lack of variety in looks, however it was by far one of the most cohesive collections in the competition. The jackets also had a very eccentric euro feel to them.

Taller Marmo proved that the UAE will be the next geographic area to dominate the fashion market. Their use of metallics along with just the perfect hint of patterns helped them accomplish their goal of finding a new dimension for Merino wool "one full of craftsmanship, multiculturalism, and fantasy."

Teatum Jones takes home prestigious Woolmark Prize

Tanya Taylor's collection was contemporary American glamour at its finest. The designer took curved edges and graphic lines and enhanced them with Merino wool. The soft flowing and feminine garments in her collection were the epitome of contemporary American glamour.

Despite the stiff competition from other designers, Teatum Jones with their high level of craftsmanship still came out on top. The design duo worked with a specialist guipure lace mill in northern France to help create geometric patterns with Merino laces. This marked a first for the mill in its 130-year history.

To top it off, the designers then went to Italy to develop a scuba feeling stretch wool upon which they bonded Merino lace. The brand had everything in place to take them over the edge, and it was well worth it once they won the prize.

"The decision was virtually unanimous," said Talley of the judges choice of Teatum Jones as this year's winner.

In regards to the importance of the prize, Tonchi said "This is an incredibly important prize, not only does it help [designers] finance their collection, it puts them on them on the international stage."

While Teatum and Jones didn't immediately comment on what they'd use the money for, they are now easily poised for business growth. To give an indication of what this could mean for them, past Woolmark Prize winners include designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent.

The International Woolmark Prize celebrates outstanding fashion talents from around the globe who showcase the beauty and versatility of Merino wool.

Today, the International Woolmark Prize continues to recognize design excellence using Australia’s preeminent natural fibre. The prize crosses borders and cultures to spotlight young fashion stars from hotspots in more than 20 countries before a who’s who of the international fashion industry.

photos:worth-project.eu