PRESS RELEASE
DUTCH DESIGNER TAKES HOME THE REMIX GOLD PRIZE
Dutch designer Thom Barends, was awarded the Gold prize and the OA™ Special Award last night at REMIX, the International Fur Design competition in Milan. Thom wowed the jury with his sleeveless blanket coat with a grey mink and black finn raccoon oversized collar. Thom graduated from Artez Academie of the Arts in Arnhem with a BA honours degree in Fashion Design. Thom is currently designing his own collection.
The jury selected Thom’s innovative design, from over 40 garments entered by other up- and-coming fur designers from all four IFTF regions.
The REMIX Silver prize went to Italian designer, Giulia Tesoriere for her colourful mink knitted pullover. Guilia finished her three year course at the Academy of Costumes and Fashion in Rome in the Summer of 2012. Laerke Kolsdscov from Denmark scooped the Bronze award for her intricate mink and leather hand cut dress. Laerke is a fashion design graduate from TEKO in Herning, Denmark.
This year IFTF introduced a brand new Menswear category which was won by Sophie Skach from Austria. Sophie designed a shawl collared coat of Chekiang lamb with a crystal button.
Shohei Ohashi from Japan won the Pimp My Coat Award. Shohei’s process to revitalise the vintage fur was to disassemble the coat, dye and then shear the fur to make a new texture. He then cut the fur into tapes to sew them together with stretch fabric to create a new dress. Over 60 designers submitted sketches this year. Pimp My Coat, now in its third year provides designers with the opportunity to remodel a vintage coat to reflect current fashion trends.
The IFTF would like to congratulate all the designers who entered REMIX 2013. We look forward to following what we are sure will be very successful careers in fashion design.
All the designers taking part in the REMIX design competition are winners of their own national design competition, resulting in an outstanding level of innovative design.
Notes to editors:
This year REMIX celebrates its 10th Anniversary.
IFTF introduced the international design competition, REMIX in 2003 and since then nearly 600 fur designers from 22 countries around the globe have entered, from IFTF’s four regions.
IFTF received 110 entries to REMIX, 24 more than last year.
The three finalist of the International Design Award all receive a cash prize to invest in their design careers: US$3,000 for Gold, US$2,000 for Silver and US$1,000 for Bronze. The Menswear winner will receive US$2,000 while the Pimp My Coat winner gets to keep the remodeled fur garment.
All 8 finalists receive a cash prize package that includes an all expense paid trip to Milan, together with introductions to both the fashion and fur trade members.
