[23 August 2022, Hong Kong] – Redress, the environmental NGO working to reduce fashion’s waste, has produced an editorial photoshoot offering a glimpse into the upcoming runway looks from the finalists of the Redress Design Award 2022, which will be showcased at the Grand Final Fashion Presentation on 7 September, to be held at ArtisTree in Hong Kong and livestreamed to the world.
The Redress Design Award is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition, organised by Redress and supported by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the Lead Sponsor.
Titled ‘Repackaged’, the photoshoot is styled and photographed by leading Hong Kong creatives Kieran Ho and The Buffacow, and inspired by the raw aesthetics of paper and cardboard industrial packaging. The theme of the shoot is intended to both remind us of the vast journey our clothing takes to get to us and showcase the potential for textile waste to be turned into something beautiful and new — reflecting the Redress Design Award’s creative legacy of revaluing waste.
In addition to being published in both the print and digital editions of the Redress Design Award magazine, the photoshoot will also be featured in the October 2022 sustainability issue of Vogue Hong Kong.
For the photoshoot and upcoming Grand Final, the finalists’ collections were brought safely to Hong Kong courtesy of UPS’ carbon neutral shipping service.
Next month, the forward-thinking finalists will debut their sustainable collections on a global stage, showcasing their skills in design techniques including zero-waste, upcycling, and reconstruction, with a focus on circular strategies of designing for low impact and processes, low waste, longevity, and recyclability. The finalists have also embraced creativity and innovative thinking in their material sourcing, from leftover yarn collected from weaver families, to retired sarees and shawls from family closets.
An esteemed panel of international judges across the fashion industry, including Hong Kong’s Edwin Keh, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), will be evaluating the finalists’ collections for their creativity, sustainability, marketability, and workmanship. The top talent who wins the first prize will receive a HK$50,000 (US$6,400) development fund and join the Sustainability & Responsibility team at VF’s Timberland to collaborate on a design project, gaining valuable experience from across the supply chain along the way. Prizes for the runner-up and Hong Kong Best winners include development funds, mentorships, and high-performance sewing machines.
Participating from their homes across the world — Brazil, Chile, India, Italy, Spain, Sri Lanka, as well as from the hosting city Hong Kong — the finalists will continue their educational journey in the upcoming Grand Final Week through practical design challenges and masterclasses, such as the ‘Meet the Experts: Closing the loop with fibre regeneration’ masterclass with Lenzing’s TENCEL™ and ‘A Discussion on Manufacturing’ with TAL Apparel and Browzwear, to set them up for flourishing careers in sustainable fashion.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE GRAND FINAL FASHION PRESENTATION
The Redress Design Award 2022 Grand Final is open to an exclusive in-person audience and will be globally available to the public for free via livestream on Wednesday, 7 September 2022, at 6:30pm (HKT) / 12:30pm (CET) via Facebook, Instagram, and Weibo. Save the date here.
FINALISTS AND ALUMNI EXHIBITION OPEN TO PUBLIC
In addition to the runway show, the finalists’ collections will also be on display alongside exciting emerging sustainable brands from competition alumni. The exhibition will be held at ArtisTree from 9 to 16 September with doors open from 11am to 7pm and free admission. All are welcome to come see the designs up close on mannequins and digitally try on the outfits with AR filters.
The Redress Design Award 2022 Photoshoot Credits:
Models: Ayllah M. & Adem D. — Quest Artists & Models
Creative Stylist: Kieran Ho
Photographer: The Buffacow
Hair: Marco Chan for KMS
Make-up: Gloomy Kwok for Hong Kong Makeup Artist
Studio: SAMAGANA
Refreshments: PizzaExpress
High resolution images are available here and full media kit here for download.