Here Are the 8 Finalists for the 2025 International Woolmark Prize

For the 2025 International Woolmark Prize, the eight finalists have been announced for this prestigious fashion competition. Among the contenders are ACT N°1 from Italy, Diotima representing the USA, Duran Lantink hailing from The Netherlands, Ester Manas based in Belgium, LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi from France, Luar originating in the USA, Meryll Rogge of Belgium, and Standing Ground with a shared background between UK and Ireland.

Out of numerous submissions, each selected designer will be awarded AUD 60,000 (approximately USD 37,775) to create six Merino wool designs, which can either be included in their Fall/Winter 2025 collection or serve as an individual project. It is worth mentioning that Ib Kamara, the editor-in-chief of Dazed and Off-White™’s creative director, has been appointed as the guest artistic director for the 2025 final event by Woolmark.

Kamara expressed gratitude for being part of Woolmark’s team in the 2025 Woolmark Prize. He is excited to contribute his innovative ideas as we honor emerging design talents. It’s crucial that we support and motivate the creators who are shaping the future of fashion, and he can hardly wait to meet the finalists.

This year, he will be evaluating each designer’s work in collaboration with an illustrious jury, headed by Donatella Versace. The judging panel consists of Law Roach, the architect of visual identity; Alessandro Sartori from Zegna; Tim Blanks, editor-at-large for BoF; Sinéad Burke, founder of Titling the Lens; DJ and producer Honey Dijon; Alessandro Dell’Acqua, founder of N21; Simone Marchetti, editor at Vanity Fair; Roopal Patel from Saks; and Danielle Goldberg, a stylist.

All finalists are granted assistance from Woolmark’s Innovation Academy, an institution that provides guidance from influential figures in the industry such as Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Sara Sozzani Maino, Burke, Patel, and Blanks. Moreover, each finalist will be given a chance to display their work at prominent stores worldwide.

The International Woolmark Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the fashion world, with designers such as Saul Nash, Matty Bovan, Rahul Mishra, Gabriela Hearst, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino Garavani being past winners, along with others.

On April 2nd, a new talent in design will take their place among the esteemed group in Milan, as they are announced as this year’s International Woolmark Prize winner. Of particular note is that the successful designer will be awarded a substantial cash prize of $300,000 AUD, equivalent to approximately $188,877 USD.

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