Saul Nash is the winner of the 2022 International Woolmark Prize, announced today at a special event held in London.
MMUSOMAXWELL is also celebrating after being awarded the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation.
The winners each receive AU$200,000 and AU$100,000 respectively as well ongoing support from the industry and Woolmark Prize retail partners.
The winners were selected by an expert jury including Ben Gorham, Carine Roitfeld, Edward Enninful OBE, Ibrahim Kamara, Marc Newson CBE, Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, Naomi Campbell, Pieter Mulier, Riccardo Tisci, Shaway Yeh, Sinéad Burke and Tim Blanks.
The announcement was hosted by Nick Grimshaw and was also attended by Jourdan Dunn, Pixie Geldof, Susie Lau and Erin O’Connor.
The Woolmark Company MD John Roberts said every six-piece collection showcased and promoted the properties of Australian wool.
“The International Woolmark Prize is the jewel in our crown," he said.
“It connects our Australian woolgrowers with the global fashion and textiles industry and in turn highlights the beauty, versatility, and modernity of Australian wool.
"We're proud of the relationships fostered between our seven finalists, prestigious judging panel and supply chain network who have mentored these designers on their Woolmark Prize journey and hope these connections continue in the future."
Judge Naomi Campbell said she is a supporter of young talent and was proud to partner with the award program.
“It’s great to see the continuing shifts in fashion as young dynamic creatives are supported and nurtured across the globe, from Africa to China to the UK.
"Everything about the wool industry is self-supportive. It’s all about partnering the natural resources of the farms with the well - being of their sheep. I am very happy to be involved with Woolmark.”
The Internation al Woolmark Prize this year celebrated the art of play, partnering with the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum .
The immersive final showroom in London was inspired by the sculptural playscapes of Isamu Noguchi, showcasing the seven finalists’ collections with colourful, architectural displays.
The showroom also featured two iconic original play sculptures by the artist.
London-based designer Saul Nash was praised for his modern use of Merino wool, bridging a gap between active solutions and more formal requirements .
“Everyone did a great job and could have been a winner,” Riccardo Tisci said.
“But what Saul did, coming from a ballet background to replace lycra with wool was really incredible.”
Nash said the project exposed him to the benefits of Merino wool in activewear.
“Words cannot describe what this means to me," he said of the win. "In such a short space if time I am so grateful for what I have gained in the past eight months."