Pakistan’s coveted House of Sania Maskatiya has been nominated for the International Woolmark Prize [IWP] within the India and Middle East Nominees for 2015/16, for a second consecutive year. First held in 1953 as an initiative of the International Wool Secretariat, the award the following year was won by Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. Today the International Woolmark Prize continues to recognise outstanding design talent from around the world.
To this end, India & Middle East regional award will be held on 22nd July in Dubai. Nominees will present sketches of a Merino wool capsule collection comprising of six outfits, with one full outfit to be produced. The collections will be judged by a panel of local and international experts soon to be announced. Other regional nominees for womenswear include AKAARO, India, Nachiket Barve, India Taller Marmo, UAE, Bleach, UAE, Misha Lakhani, Pakistan, Bashar Assaf, Lebanon and Mira Hayek, Lebanon. Menswear nominees include Republic, Pakistan, Suket Dhir, India and Thamanyah, UAE.
Indeed this year a sixth region has been added to the competition, The British Isles. 12 finalists will be selected in total across all regional, each receiving AUD$50,000 financial contribution towards their next collection as well as an invitation to participate in the international final. Six menswear finalists will meet at an event held during PITTI UOMO, Florence in January 2016 and six womenswear finalists will meet in New York in February 2016. The winners of both the menswear and womenswear finals will receive a further AUD$100,000 to assist with fabric sourcing and marketing of their collection.
On the brands nomination for the IWP, Chief Executive Officer and partner at Sania Maskatiya, Umair Tabani said; “IWP has become among the most coveted designer awards of our time. We were first put forward for nomination by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council in 2014/15 owing to our credentials and our dedicated focus on fabric and print. The experience and exposure of being nominated was phenomenal. We are delighted to be able to represent Pakistan and its fashion design at this global platform for a second year now.”
Today the International Woolmark Prize continues to recognise outstanding design talent from around the world. The prize was revived to promote a fresh crop of fashion stars showcasing the benefits of working with Australian Merino wool, and now more than 60 designers from over 20 countries take part.
