GLOBAL DENIM AWARDS 2016: PRESENTING THE PARTICIPANTS
Amsterdam, September27, 2016 – As previously announced, the third edition of Global Denim Awards, made possible by e3 Cotton, takes place on October 26, 2016 in Amsterdam. GDA is the world’s premier platform for the future of denim design, sustainability and craftsmanship.
Having almost doubled the number of participants since debuting in 2014, GDA now proudly presents the 11 paired fashion designers and progressive denim mills that will present their co-created capsule collections during Global Denim Awards 2016.
Previous winners
The winners of the 2015 edition, tailor SartoriaDiletto and mill Candiani Denim, are still working together. In fact, all GDA collaborations have resulted in ongoing rewarding relationships between designer and mill.
“By winning the Global Denim Awards, we have showed how contemporary, strong and rich ‘Made in Italy’ is,” saysCandiani. “Our work was a fusion of heritage and innovation; an ode to the values and quality of the Italian supply chain. We also feel we’ve positively influenced the denim industry in the process, by proving that a synergy between handcraft and industrialisation is the best way to lead consumers into a more socially-, environmentally- and style-conscious future.”
As Best Fabric Award 2015 winner Berto puts it: “We felt so proud, since the validation was from denim experts. In a period when the textile business is going through hard times, the award has been a great incentive for us! We reorganised our production process, especially in the prototypes phase, and have enhanced our innovations lab.”
With the new round of collaborations for GDA 2016, 11 new sneak peeks into the future of denim development are now at hand.
The awards
The 11 collections that result from the collaborations between selected mills and designers, will be judged by a jury of international denim experts on the overall look, the innovative nature of the design, and the creative use of denim. The designer of the winning collection will receive a €10,000 award, made possibleby e3 Cotton. An additional award goes to the mill with the most innovative fabric. The winning collection will be exhibited at Kingpins Shows in New York City and Hong Kong, before returning to the Netherlands for Amsterdam Denim Days 2017.
The following 11 designer-mill duos will present their capsule collections on October 26, 2016. More information will be given on the GDA website on September 29. All mills and designers will be available for interviews at the press event. For more details about press opportunities,seebelow the end of this press release.
Designer: Marina van Dieren and Christina Albrecht (The Netherlands/Germany)
Recent graduates from Artez Institute of the Arts in Arnhem, Marina van Dieren (Arnhem) and Christina Albrecht (Berlin) joined forces for the Global Denim Awards. Wearability is a key aspect of their bold gender neutral designs. Their aim is “to create 'new ceremonial’ clothing for risk-taking explorers”. "We look forward to create new surface designs, weaving and manipulation techniques, while working from a zero waste perspective."
Mill: Advance Denim (China)
Founded in 1987 in Foshan, in the heart of the Pearl River District, Advance Denim continually seeks to add sustainability in their processes through advanced machinery and new dyeing and finishing technologies. The mill also believes “new designers are the future” and actively works with young graduate designers. “It was great to see how Marina and Christina interacted directly with our technicians and fabric developers, and how they later walked impatiently around at the production department, waiting to see the results of a new development in real time.”
Designer: MariusPetrus(Belgium)
After completing internships at Alexander McQueen and Raf Simons, Marius Op’tEynde launched his London-based menswear brand MariusPetrus in 2012. His designs are characterised by graphic shapes, bold colours and architectural prints. Using high-tech materials, he blends men’s fashion heritage with a contemporary signature. Op’tEynde has the reputation of being one of the industry’s ‘best kept secrets’.
Mill: Atlantic Mills (Thailand)
“Driven by our passion, we don’t just make denim; we breathe denim.” That’s how Atlantic Mills introduces itself. The mill focuses on fabric innovation and sustainable production methods. They particularly have strong men's collections that often feature heritage and vintage styles,so it’s no coincidence that Atlantic Mills has one of the world’s largest selvedge collections. For that same reason, the mill welcomed working with Marius: “He understands the history of denim, while he also desires to reinvent it for the 21st century man.”
Designer: EdithMarcel(Italy)
Established in 2015, Venice-based label EdithMarcel is a collaboration between GianlucaFerracin (fashion designer by training) and Andrea Masato (architect by training). Their collections merge architectural geometrics with the softness of fabrics, while reflecting on the theme of gender as a study of forms, volumes and lengths – resulting in garments that can dress both men and women. They presented their first collection at Milan Fashion Week 2015 and were selected by the renowned emerging designer’s platform NotJustALabel for New York’s Capsule tradeshow.
Mill: BertoIndustriaTessile(Italy)
Founded by two brothers in 1887, Berto is renowned for its craftsmanship and innovation in knitwear and denim. For example, the mill recently produced the strongest jeans in world – made from a denim with Dyneema, the world’s strongest fiber. They also won the ‘Best Fabric’ award at the 2015 edition of the Global Denim Awards. Meanwhile, the mill has remained faithful to its roots by continuing to manufacture “without compromise” in their hometown in the Padua region of Italy. “Gianluca and Andrea were chosen exactly because they had never worked with denim before, so they can create something authentic from a different vision on denim.”
Designer: Outkastpeople(Turkey)
After attaining her masters at Milan’s Domus Academy, Istanbul-based designer EmreAktuna moved to London in 2011 to work for high street retailers River Island and TOPSHOP. In 2014, she moved back to Istanbul to establish her own urban underground brand Outkastpeople, which is influenced by music, art, history and anthropology.
Mill: Calik Denim (Turkey)
Calik is a fully integrated denim mill with an annual sales in 2015 of over 34 million meters. With 1600 employees, a wide-ranging sustainability program, and an in-house denim university that combines theoretical and practical training for all stages of denim manufacturing, Calik is one of GDA’s largest participants. “Our passion matched with that of Outkastpeople’sEmre: we both want to try new things that have never been done before. Her atypical questions also gave us the immediate feeling that we wanted to work with her.”
Designer: Lavinia Mustapha (Italy-Lebanon)
Italian-Lebanese designer Lavinia Mustapha spent her childhood in both Italy and South-Africa. As a child she wanted to become a professional tennis player, but then she discovered a passion for art and illustration while attending an all-girls school in Johannesburg. Upon her return to Italy, Lavinia decided to devote herself to a career in fashion. She later developed a love for textiles at InstitutoPolimoda and the University of Milano, where she studied Fashion Design. Her next intended stop is the UK to continue her studies in woven textile design.
Mill: Candiani Denim (Italy)
Eighty years ago, Luigi Candiani began a small weaving facility near Milan. It has been run by four consecutive generations of Candiani sons – with the latest, Alberto, overseeing the mill’s modernisation towards one of the world’s most sustainable denim producers. After winning the Global Denim Awards 2015 with SartoriaDiletto, Candiani and Lavinia will now, according to the mill, present “another thing Italians are good at: prêt-à-porter”.
Designer: AnbasjaBlanken(Curaçao)
Former Viktor & Rolf intern AnbasjaBlanken was a finalist for the 'Lichting' Award with her 2013 graduation collection 'Shakhinah Glory'. Driven by her endless love for ideal female beauty and craftsmanship, she recently founded her own trouser line AlaBlanka,which debuted this year at Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Mill: ITV Denim (Italy)
ITV Denim is located in the Abruzzo region in central Italy, and is backed by a mission to reduce their environmental footprint by continually introducing new technologies and modern techniques for spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing. When ITV won the Global Denim Awards 2014 with designer Jonathan Christopher, a love affair was born.The two parties continue to collaborate on the development of new fabrics to this day. And according to ITV, “the same magic is happening with Anbasja”.
Designer: Tess van Zalinge(The Netherlands)
Tess van Zalinge graduated cum laude at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute in 2012; her graduation collection ‘The Same Old Lines’ took her to London Graduate Fashion Week. Her own debut label seeks to bridge the gap between lingerie and outerwear – at Amsterdam Fashion Week 2016. Van Zalinge is regarded as one of the new talents on the Dutch fashion horizon.
Mill: Knitdigo(Taiwan)
Combining “knit” and “indigo”, Knitdigo is a pioneering knitted denim specialist from Taiwan. The company owns a fully integrated facility in Guangdong, China. The match with Van Zalinge promises something truly innovative: “The work of Tess is chic and romantic. Because she designed a collection of lingerie, our team thought they could create a spark between soft and gentle garments like lingerie, and the rough and stylish nature of denim. In the process, we hope to broaden the vision of the denim industry as a whole.”
Designer: Lisa Konno & Karin Vlug(The Netherlands)
Running their individual labels from a boat in Amsterdam’s harbour, Lisa Konno and Karin Vlug recently collaborated on “COLLECT”: a modular garment that allows for endless variations, which will be featured at this year’s Dutch Design Week and Tokyo Design Week. Konno and Vlug work in a conceptual way,by ingeniously constructing smart clothing that avoid a classic ‘fashion perspective’ and embrace a zero-waste philosophy.
Mill: Prosperity Textile (China)
In 20 years, family-owned Prosperity has grown into one of the largest denim mills in Asia with a global reputation for value-adding performance eco-denim. As one of only two denim mills worldwide to hold the prestigious Blue Sign certification, it aims to become the world’s most sustainable mill. “Lisa and Karin make a perfect partner for us, since they develop collections though re-using old garments and by constructing without sewing.”
Designer: RoosmarijnKoster(The Netherlands)
After studying Fashion & Design at Amsterdam Fashion Institute, RoosmarijnKoster received her master's degree at Fashion Institute Arnhem. She’s now a senior designer at Gaastra, having previously worked for Scotch & Soda and her own label Heren van Koster. She designs menswear because the distance between herself and the wearer enables her to maintain an outsider’s perspective on her clothing designs.
Mill: Arvind(India)
Founded in Ahmedabad in 1931, Arvind is one of the largest textile and apparel manufacturers in the world. It is also one of the founding members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and an active participant of the Roadmap to Zero. Arvind is the only mill in the world that offers 100% handmade denim (KHADI), produced in collaboration with small artisans.
Designer: DenizGür(Turkey)
Born from the hectic and ever-changing nature of Istanbul, Gürreacts to this environment by incorporating minimalism in designs that cater to the daily needs of working women.
DenizGür studied Fashion Design at ITU in Istanbul and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York – where she currently works for women’s fashion brand Catherine Malandrino, among others. Besides being an all-round artist as a photographer and painter, Gür also helped create Turkey’s most well-known art fair, Contemporary Istanbul Art.
Mill: Kipas Denim (Turkey)
Deeply rooted in their native town of Kahramanmaras in Southern Turkey, Kipas has the mission to produce innovative and quality denim in a socially-responsible manner. The mill does this while “never forgetting where we started” – a vision shared with DenizGür. “She has a unique understanding about freedom and energy. With her outsider’s perspective on denim, which she combines with art, fashion and future welfare, we expect to present an exciting collaboration.”
Designer: Leandro Cano (Spain)
In 2012, this Madrid-based designer debuted his first collection ‘Buffet’at Berlin Fashion Week, where he won the Designer for Tomorrow Award. Many of his creations are exhibited in the Museum AngewandteKunst Frankfurt. He is currently launching his first line under the name LUKE by Leandro Cano.
Mill: TejidosRoyo(Spain)
Backed by a century of history, this Spanish mill is known throughout the industry for their innovative fabrics. Driven by the sustainable production of cutting-edge denim, TejidosRoyo underwent the comprehensive quality and environmental management Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 audit for all its processes. The mill also has its own eco-sustainable products brand, Denim Valley, that supplies limited edition fabrics that are functional and customised.
PRE-EVENT PRESS MEET: OCTOBER 25, 5-6PM
A pre-event press presentation will take place on October 25, 2016 from 5-6pm at De Hallen Studios. Members of the press will receive a preview of the collections, and can meet the designers, mills, jury members, partners and founders.
For press images or an appointment with a specific designer, mill, jury member or the co-founders, please email Tess Duinker:
Profiles of the participating jury, designers, mills will be made available on September 29 on globaldenimawards.com.
Dates, times & location
October 25, 17:00-18:00: Pre-event Press Meet
October 26, 20:30-22:00: Global Denim Awards
October 26, 22:00: Global Denim Awards afterparty
Location: De Hallen Studios, HannieDankbaarpassage 18, Amsterdam
Website: globaldenimawards.com
Social Media:
Facebook.com/GlobalDenimAwards
Instagram.com/GlobalDenimAwards
Twitter.com/DenimAwards
The Global Denim Awards is made possible by e3 Cotton, and initiated and organised by HTNK, Kingpins Show and House of Denim. The event coincides with the Amsterdam edition of Kingpins Show.
About e3 Cotton
e3 Cottonis a transparent, environmentally responsible, economically viable and socially equitable program that provides stringent guidelines for farmers in the United States who grow Certified FiberMax® or authentic Stoneville® cotton. e3Cotton takes the Certified FiberMax® and authentic Stoneville® programs to the next level, which allow buyers to identify where their cotton was grown utilising a certification database maintained exclusively by Bayer CropScience.
e3cotton.us
About Kingpins
The Kingpins Show is an invitation-only, boutique denim sourcing show featuring a highly-edited selection of vendors. These include denim and sportswear fabric mills from the US, Japan, China, India, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand, Spain and Mexico; wash houses; trim providers and makers of technology, wash chemicals and business solutions. Kingpins, which launched in 2004, produces biannual shows in New York, Hong Kong and Amsterdam, and an annual show in Los Angeles.
kingpinsshow.com
About HTNK
Known for its in-depth denim expertise, Amsterdam-based HTNK is a progressive recruitment & consultancy firm. HTNK's core values focus on creating business through collaboration and quality match-making. HTNK was founded by Mariette Hoitink in 1997.
htnk.nl
About House of Denim
The Amsterdam-based House of Denim Foundation is a platform for craftsmanship, sustainability and innovation in the denim industry. Through the development of education, innovation, enterprise and networking projects, it strives to make the world of jeans dryer, cleaner and smarter. House of Denim is based in Denim City, in De Hallen Amsterdam. Denim City is a centre for craftsmanship and innovation in the denim industry. It was founded to connect and inspire denim lovers and stakeholders, on their journey towards a dryer, cleaner and smarter industry: 'Towards a Brighter Blue'.
houseofdenim.org