Model Nerida Lennon has been awarded a combined $60,000 grant to help make the Australian fashion industry more sustainable.
The $60,000 prize pool, which will be shared between Lennon and three other winners from the fields of food farming, medical technology and mechanical engineering, was donated by the British Council and LRQA (Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance) as part of the “The Big Green Idea” (BGI) competition.
“The Big Green Idea”, created by the British Council in 2009, is funding initiative designed to attract, encourage and assist Australian entrepreneurs to develop inventive new sustainability projects in any category, but Lennon is the first fashion-based winner since the competition's inception.
Lennon, who worked as a fashion model for nine years and is currently studying at The School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia, will use the grant to continue her research into making the Australian fashion industry more sustainable, and will also be provided access to the expansive British Council and LRQA networks and expertise to turn her project into a tangible product.
Her main project to date will also see her working alongside a (as yet unnamed) high profile Australian designer to explore how to create a “sustainable” garment, documenting the entire process. The garment and film will then debut at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week in 2012.
British Council director Nick Marchand said he was impressed by the calibre of the submissions to this year's BGI competition.
“We were astounded by the quality of the projects and the sheer number of entries submitted. The judges had an impossible job trying to select a winner,” he said.
“That said, Big Green Idea is about rewarding eco-innovation, and the four winners stood out with their entrepreneurial thinking and practical solutions that will have a defining impact on countless lives around the world. Ultimately, that’s what this programme is all about.”
For more information go to: http://www.britishcouncil.org/au-big-green-idea.htm