Calling all emerging fashion designers with a commitment to authentic design and sustainable practice.
The National Wool Museum and the City of Greater Geelong are
challenging designers to create one original outfit that represents their
personal design aesthetic, showcasing their commitment to sustainable
fashion.
We the Makers is a major biennial event on the National Wool
Museum calendar centred around the Sustainable Fashion Prize. Aligned with
Geelong’s designation as a UNESCO City of Design, the National Wool Museum is
dedicated to championing the past, present, and future of fashion with recognition
to Geelong’s ongoing role in the wool, fibre and textile industries.
We define sustainable fashion holistically, and champion ethical
practice, design ingenuity, material consciousness and business innovation.
Every two years we will showcase emerging themes from the world of sustainable
fibre and textiles through the next generation of fashion designers.
Entries open on 22 February 2023 and is eligible to designers both in
Australia and abroad with less than ten years industry experience. Outfits are
judged by a panel of industry professionals against their ability to design and
redefine sustainable and ethical textiles with entries responding to the following
categories: Material innovation, Circular process innovation, Design innovation
or Business innovation.
Four awards were given to Australian Designers in 2020 with two
entries sharing the top prize of $10,000. All shortlisted garments being on display
at the National Wool Museum Designer Showcase.
Major prize winners 2020
- Rebecca Gully, Melbourne: Neutron Dance; What to wear to the disco apocalypse – survival of the hottest.
- Rowena, Juliana and Angela Foong x UoN: Six Seasons Newcastle, New South Wales
Highly Commended Local Maker 2020
- Courtney
Holm:
People’s Choice: Amal Laala and Simon Piry of ‘Broc The Kasbah’
Collective
We the Makers - Sustainable Fashion Prize 2023
Entries open: 22 February 2023
Entries close: 16 April 2023
Exhibition opening and awards: 1 June 2023
Prizes
All entries to the Sustainable Fashion Prize go in the running to
win the following major prizes chosen by an international industry panel of
expert judges.
- National Wool Museum Designer of the Year Award ($10,000)
- UNESCO City of Design, People’s Choice Award ($2,000)
Media contact
Contact Andrea, our media officer, to arrange an interview with ourSenior Curator Josephine Rout, or our Director Padraic Fisher:
Andrea Bruce
[email protected]
03 5272 4878
Mayor Trent Sullivan
The City is committed to its UNESCO City of Design
designation, and I take pleasure in announcing that this year’s winning Sustainable
Fashion garment will be acquired into the City’s Art, Heritage and Textile Collection.
We are building on the City’s legacy as a
world leader in the production of wool, fibre and textiles and developing our
design capabilities into the future.
Josephine Rout - Senior Curator, National Wool Museum
This
year the Sustainable Fashion Prize is focusing on attracting emerging
designers, and designers that have had a delayed start to their careers due to
the COVID-19 Pandemic.
We the Makers is a significant competition with a prize
that will help establish the career of a talented designer. It is the only
sustainable fashion prize for emerging designers being offered in Australia and
we expect the field to be very competitive.