AWI searches abroad for talent

SYDNEY: Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has unveiled a new competition aimed at fostering the commercial growth of up-and-coming designers from around the world – but surprisingly, not one finalist hails from Australia.

The Australian Merino Woolmark Prize, announced as an initiative which offers a "leg-up" to those designers most in need, is open to recent design graduates who are already professionally involved in the industry.  Designers from around the world, including China, Japan, Norway, Belgium, Germany and France, have been selected by an international panel of experts to participate in the inaugural event.  However, no Australian finalists were listed on the official list.

According to AWI, the Woolmark scheme is the heir apparent to a similar prize once awarded by the International Wool Secretariat. Previous winners of this prize include womenswear icons Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, who both accepted their respective fashion design prizes at a ceremony in 1954.

Finalists for The Australian Merino Woolmark Prize include Britain's Louise Goldin, China's Shao Jia, USA's Tom Scott, Belgium's Chrystl Fischer, Japan's Keiichi Muramatsu and Noriko Seki and France's Xavier Brisoux.
The prize will be presented at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris on July 3.