Stine Riis wins H&M’s Design Award

Swedish retailer H&M has announced the inaugural winner of its Design Award 2012 as Stine Riis, a 28-year-old graduate from the London College of Fashion. Riis was announced as the global winner at a special catwalk show at Stockholm’s

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, where she presented her winning collection.

Riis was chosen for the ‘maturity and modernity of her work’ by a grand jury, which included fashion designer Christopher Kane, noted fashion journalists Hilary Alexander and Kristopher Arden Houser, fashion blogger Susie Lau, H&M’s creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch and H&M’s head of design, Ann-Sofie Johansson.

As well as showcasing her designs, Riis also won €50,000, and the chance to have around 15 pieces from her collection sold in selected H&M stores in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands in September.

“I am still overwhelmed. Showing at Stockholm’s Mercedes-Benz fashion week has been such a great experience. I can’t believe so many people came to see my collection! This award gives me the confidence and financial back-up I need to pursue my dream of building my own brand. I couldn’t have imagined a better start to my career as a designer,” said Riis.

“Stine Riis took the top prize with a polished, well-cut collection of strict tailoring in contrasting materials including leather, wool, metallic and bonded fabrics. Her silhouette was lean but flowing, and particularly effective was her use of colour: a slim blue and orange bi-colour top, for example, or a blue coat stamped with white,” commented Hilary Alexander.

The winner of the H&M Design Award People’s Prize was also announced as Anne Bosman. The prize has been decided by visitors to the H&M Design Award website, who have been voting since January 27 for their favourite collection, and Bosman will receive a month’s internship at Christopher Kane’s design studio in London.

Image: H&M – Stine Riis