Woolmark Winner
ELLA ALEXANDER 12 July 2012 0 comments
CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS is the winner of the International Woolmark European Prize, it was announced at a ceremony this afternoon. The Antwerp-based designer was chosen by an impressive panel including British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, German Vogue editor Christiane Arp, designer Giles Deacon and Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz - who said his judging role made him "feel like Heidi Klum".
Wijnants will take home $50,000 (£32,000), having beat off competition from British names JW Anderson and James Long. He will now go through to the finals of the contest, battling against international designers such as Sophie Theallet - who was announced as the US winner earlier this week. The final winner will be named in February 2013.
The Belgian-born designer is no stranger to receiving prizes - in 2005 he won the Swiss Textiles Prize and in 2006 won the coveted ANDAM award. He worked for Dries Van Noten before launching his label in 2003.
The International Woolmark Prize celebrates emerging designers for their use of merino wool and is responsible for kick-starting the careers of Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent.
vogue.co.uk
a well deserved choice
