Tackling Real-Life Waste

In the lead up to the Grand Final show, our EcoChic Design Award finalists were united in Hong Kong to explore the multiple possibilities for tackling real-life textile waste scenarios. Competing in challenges focused on circular economy models, our designers crafted prototypes for new lifestyle products from Cathay Pacific’s retired uniforms at the Langham, Hong Kong; rescued discarded clothes from Hong Kong’s clothing bins through simple care techniques with Miele; and got a taste of the production line and the critical role that designers play even at the manufacturing stage with TAL Group. These challenges showed these young designers first-hand how improved interactions between designers, manufacturers and consumers can significantly alter the overall environmental impact of every single piece of clothing. Congratulations to all our winners!

Click here to revisit our favourite moments from the week.

Kate Morris wins the EcoChic Design Award 2017

Fierce aesthetic and innovative techniques applied to a range of unusual and sometimes surprising materials combined to impress the distinguished judges, and dazzle 600 of the region’s most influential industry players and VIP onlookers last night at the EcoChic Design Award Grand final. British designer Kate Morris won first prize demonstrating the power of the circular economy, where nothing goes to waste. 

Kate will now join a team of fashion game-changers to create a collection for BYT, a new Hong Kong affordable luxury brand born from Redress. BYT’s inaugural up-cycled collection, which was designed by previous EcoChic Design Award competition winners, will retail in Lane Crawford and Barneys in New York, demonstrating Asia as a leading fashion powerhouse, and the changing ethical tastes of luxury consumers worldwide.

“I believe the fashion industry has reached a critical point and I want to part of the change – designing sustainable items of beauty for the masses is my dream and I am excited about winning this competition as it will me enable to contribute to a better future” said Kate. 

Kate will also see her winning collection, a bright and playful knitwear collection which mixed handcraft with technology, and focused on the three design techniques of the collection – zero-waste, up-cycling and reconstruction – in an installation at Lane Crawford, Asia’s leading iconic luxury department store.

Competition judge, Joanna Gunn, Chief Brand Officer, Lane Crawford, said “As part of Lane Crawford’s commitment to supporting young emerging talent, we are pleased to support the EcoChic Design Award and its cause of promoting sustainability in fashion with the next generation of designers.”

Up-cycled luxury

Following her First Prize win for the EcoChic Design Award 2015/16, Polish rising star Patrycja Guzik returned to Hong Kong to embed herself in the Shanghai Tang design team to learn how sustainable fashion can be implemented on a commercial scale. Currently on showcase at the brand’s Duddell Street flagship store in Hong Kong, the resulting up-cycled capsule collection was created from surplus luxury fabrics from the brand’s previous collections. Pat took inspiration from Redress’ hometown, incorporating the rich purples and blues of our megalopolis’ night skyline, and playful ruffle details to emulate Victoria Harbour’s lapping waters into her designs. Click here to learn more about this creative collaboration for change. 

Search for design talent

The EcoChic Design Award 2017 is now open to emerging fashion designers with less than three years experience living in any country in Asia, Europe and – for the first time ever – the USA. Applications are open until 3 April 2017, with career-changing prizes up for grabs. Watch the teaser video here and details of how to apply here.

SUSTAINABILITY: THE FABRIC OF MODERN CHINESE CHIC

The EcoChic Design Award 2014/15 1st Prize Winner Kévin Germanier’s up-cycled collection is set to hit China’s leading luxury brand, Shanghai Tang’s, stores this September. The seven-piece womenswear capsule collection will be the brand’s first sustainable collection; up-cycled using their surplus textile stock, demonstrating that sustainability is part of a growing global trend to create fashion in a more environmentally sustainable way. Click here to find out more.

Award-winning brands hit kapok stores

Earlier this month, The EcoChic Design Award 2015/16 Alumni Prize winners, Clementine Sandner and Wan & Wong Fashion, celebrated the much-anticipated sales launch of their collections in kapok. The Asian lifestyle store hosted an event in PMQ to mark the occasion for the winning brands where designers shared the stories behind their brands. We are thrilled to have worked with prize sponsor kapok to bring more sustainable fashion options to market, proving that it is possible to have design-led, desirable sustainable fashion! Plus, 10% of the sales of the collections were donated to Redress to support our ongoing work!

Click here to see our favourite moments.

FRONTLINE FASHION PREMIERS ON FASHION ONE

Mark your calendars! Frontline Fashion – Redress’ very first feature-length documentary – is premiering on Fashion One on Monday 29 August. This 50 minute feature follows 10 talented Asian and European emerging fashion designers determined to change the future of fashion for the better in the world’s biggest sustainable fashion design competition, The EcoChic Design Award. If you, your university, school or organisation are interested in hosting a screening event, get in touch!

THE ECOCHIC DESIGN AWARD 2015/16 GRAND FINAL WEEK

The winners of The EcoChic Design Award 2015/16 were announced on 20 January 2016. Read about our winners and their prizes here and read the press release about the Grand Final week activities in our media kit here.

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FASHION BUSINESS

We’ve just added our new Building a Sustainable Fashion Business guide and video to our EcoChic Design Award learn platform. Our written guide includes case studies and expert advice from brands already working to improve various aspects of their businesses. Our video guide leans in closer to learn from Patagonia, H&M and our very own alumni, Janko Lam’s brand Classics Anew. Get going with sustainable business!

TUNE IN TO THE ECOCHIC DESIGN AWARD GRAND FINAL LIVE STREAM

For a front row seat at our The EcoChic Design Award 2015/16 grand final show on 20 January, tune into www.ecochicdesignaward.com at HKT 17.00 / GMT 9.00. No matter where you are in the world, you’re invited to join the excitement as we live stream the fashion show grand final and announce our winners straight to your laptop, phone or tablet. Add 20 January to your diary now. 

THE ECOCHIC DESIGN AWARD 2015/16 FINALISTS' PHOTO SHOOT

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Our The EcoChic Design Award 2015/16 Finalists’ Photo Shoot images have been released. Our ten finalists’ minimal waste designs were modelled by supermodel and competition Ambassador Bonnie Chen. The shoot was held in talented photographer, Tim Wong’s studios, with Creative Direction by Denise Ho. View the behind-the-scenes photos here and watch the video here. 

ALUMNI FEATURE AT BRIGHTON FASHION WEEK 2015

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Angus Tsui, The EcoChic Design Award 2012 Peoples Award Winner, and Tiffany Fung, The EcoChic Design Award 2012 China finalist, with her brand Tiffany Pattinson, were invited to showcase their sustainable collections at Brighton Fashion Week. 

MINIMAL WASTE UNIFORMS FOR T'ANG COURT RESTAURANT

Victor Chu, our Second Prize Winner of The EcoChic Design Award 2014/15, has applied the techniques and theory leant from his competition experience to bring sustainable fashion to life at The Langham, Hong Kong. His minimal waste uniform designs, a fusion of sustainability and elegance, are debuting at the hotel’s two Michelin-star restaurant, T’ang Court. Complementing this, a new locally sourced vegetarian menu has been introduced to the restaurant. 

THE ECOCHIC DESIGN AWARD ALUMNI NETWORKING EVENT 2016

The EcoChic Design Award Alumni Network launched with a networking event in Hong Kong, where the alumni mingled with industry professionals and media representatives. At the event, we showcased ten alumni sustainable brands and held a panel discussion on the topic ‘Is the future of fashion ready for positive change?’. The panel was moderated by Tania Reinert-Shchelkanovtseva, Co-founder of A Boy Named Sue, and speakers were Arnault Castel, Founder of kapok, Anderson Lee, Chairman of Sustainable Fashion Business Consortium and Cherry Wong, Project Manager of The Office of Hon Felix Chung Kwok-pan, Member of Legislative Council.

BENU BERLIN AT PARIS FASHION WEEK

Karen Jessen, The EcoChic Design Award 2013 Winner, presented her brand Benu Berlin’s up-cycled designs at Paris Fashion Week’s Der Berliner Mode Salon in October 2015.