Over half a century on, the final of the most recent incarnation of the award - the International Woolmark Prize - will be presented during London Fashion Week in February. The finalists, who have emerged from a total of seventy applicants nominated by fashion industry figures in their respective regions are; Sophie Theallet from the US, Christian Wijnants from Europe (Belgium), Ban Xiao Xiu from China, Dion Lee from Australia, DRESSEDUNDRESSED from Japan and Pankaj and Nidhi from India.
The prize, $100,000 AUD ($105,000 USD) and placement of the winning collection in top boutiques around the globe including Bergdorf Goodman in the USA, Harvey Nichols in the UK, 10 Corso Como in Italy, Joyce in China, Eickoff in Germany and David Jones in Australia, has generated significant interest worldwide and has evolved into a highly coveted, internationally recognised award, presented by peers and mentors to the future leaders of the industry.
The international final of the award will be held on February 16 and presented as part of London Fashion Week, thanks to the British Fashion Council, the UK nominating body for the prize. The final judging panel is made up of nine of the most important and influential people in fashion, each one a pillar of the global fashion industry.
The international judging panel included: