EcoChic Design Award announces semi-finalists for 2014/2015

The EcoChic Design Award, developed and organized by NGO Redress, has

revealed its line up of 30 semi-finalists for its fifth sustainable fashion design competition.

Applicants which consisted of students and emerging fashion designers were asked to use a combination of one or more of the three listed sustainable design techniques of zero-waste, up-cycling and reconstruction to create a mainstream collection of clothing. Last season saw competition expanded to include ten countries and regions: Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, UK, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

A group of 30 individuals were hand picked after a stringent evaluation from a panel of local judges. The semi-finalists from the UK include Central Saint Martins BA women's wear student Kévin Germanier, luxury knitwear designer Katie Jones and Chloe McDonald, a recent graduate from the University of Westminster.

One of the three UK semi-finalists will then be selected to present their sustainable collection to a judging panel during Hong Kong Fashion Week in January 2015, along with nine other finalists at the EcoChic Design Award 2014/15 Grand Final. The winner of the competition will design their own capsule collection for China's luxury label, Shanghai Tang.

The UK local judging panel consists of Melanie Rickey, Editor-in-chief of Fashioneditoratlarge.com, Raffaele Borriello, Creative Consigliere, Shanghai Tang and Nin Castle, Founder and Creative Director, Goodone.

“It is fascinating to see how designers approached The EcoChic Design Award 2014/15 brief. It’s exciting to see designers fluent in creating clothes that have zero waste, using up cycled and organic fabrics. May this become the industry standard very soon,” commented Melanie Rickey.

The ten finalists, one from each participating country, for the The Ecochic Design Award 2014/15 will be announced on September 15, following an international judging session.