Australian fashion icon Woolmark has secured a power line-up to judge its relaunched International Woolmark Prize, including Donatella Versace and Diane von Furstenberg.
The prize, which dates back to 1953 and counts Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent among its winners, was relaunched this year and will be presented during London Fashion Week in February 2013.
The international judging panel will include Donatella Versace, Diane von Furstenberg, style.com editor-at-large Tim Blanks, Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and Victoria Beckham.
Retail judging partners also include top executives from Lane Crawford, 10 Corso Como, Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols and EICKHOFF KÖNIGSALLEE.
The award finalists 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 includes $100,000 and placement of the winning collection in top boutiques around the world, including those secured in the judging panel and David Jones in Australia.
The international final of the award will be held on February 16 and presented as part of London Fashion Week.
Australian Wool Innovation chief Stuart McCullough said the award has already been well received.
“Since the regional awards in July 2012, the International Woolmark Prize has gained extraordinary momentum and support, highlighted by the announcement of the most important names in the industry on the final judging panel."
DION LEE: Autumn/winter 2012.
