Green Carpet talent competition names finalists

The Green Carpet talent competition, which challenges emerging designers worldwide to redefine sustainability in fashion, has named its five finalists, including London-based fashion label Teatum Jones.

The competition, part of The Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia, asked designers to pair ethics with aesthetics by creating a bespoke look celebrating Italian craftsmanship and sustainable innovation, drawing on the Italian supply chain in redefining sustainability, as well as focusing on the “Handprint of Fashion”, by collaborating with Italian artisans who specialise in hand-painting and embroidery.

Judges including Vogue’s Edward Enninful, Derek Blasberg and Petra Nemcova whittled down the 10 semi-finalists to five finalists, after seeing innovations such as sequins laser cut from used plastic bottles, rhubarb tanned leather, graphite upcycled from the tech industry used as a substitute for chemical dyes, as well as a dress made from jute bags purchased from Navigli market in Milan.

The five finalists are: Teatum Jones, Gilberto Calzolari, Behno, Davide Grillo, and Wrad. Each designer will take part in a 12-month mentorship programme with The Bicester Village Shopping Collection by Value Retail, which is sponsoring the competition, and will work with handpicked mentors from across Europe and China to receive global expertise in fashion, retail, supply chain management, consumer insight, brand building, tourism, marketing and distribution to help them reach their “true creative and commercial potential”.

All of the finalists will attend The Green Carpet Fashion Awards in September, and the winner will be given the opportunity to present at Milan Fashion Week in February 2019, supported by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.

In addition, the designers will also have their collections featured in The Creative Spot, a platform dedicated to showcase new talents at Fidenza Village, just outside of Milan.

“The design talent and innovation this year has blown me away,’ said Livia Firth, founder and creative director, Eco-Age in a press statement. “The designers we’ve seen are not only highlighting traditional Italian craftsmanship but also creating their own materials when they can’t find sustainable solutions on the market. Through their creativity, drive and passion they are setting a clear challenge to the wider industry.”

Carlo Capasa, president of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, added: “This year’s entrants are making deep connections, that run into the Italian supply chain but also offer commentary and in a way solutions to the global plastic pandemic or climate change. Young designers invested in sustainability are pushing the limits of fashion further every year. It is stunning to see.”

Teatum Jones named as finalists of the CNMI Green Carpet talent competition

This year’s design talent includes London-based label, Teatum Jones, which presented a dress made from Fil Coupe made in Italy from recycled polyester and lenzing modal, a low impact fabric derived from responsibly sourced wood, which was lined with recycled polyester and embellished with laser cut sequins made from recycled plastic water bottles and painted with natural pigment paints. This was teamed with a coat made from hand woven Baoule Kente Ikat fabric sourced via Piece and Co., a social enterprise helping to empower communities around the world, as well as archive and past season reused fabrics, and lined with old printed strike-offs.

While Italian designer Gilberto Calzolari showcased a look created a dress from used jute coffee bags, originally from Brazil, purchased from the Navigli market in Milan, which he embellished with Swarovski advanced elements lead free crystals, and New York-based Behno designed a gown by deconstructing and reconstructing unused garments, combined with luxurious GOTS certified organic silk and Econyl regenerated nylon, a yarn made by recycling discarded fishing nets and carpets.

Italian designer Davide Grillo designed a cape covered in silk ‘feathers’, which were laser cut from silk and naturally dyed that was showcased over a gown featuring Italian hand embroidery by Pino Grasso, a master of fine embroidery, and hand painted designs ‘stamperie verga’ using onion skin, logwood, and walnut shell, completed with ReSequins – sequins laser cut from plastic bottles.

The final look from Wrad, a German-based sustainable fashion brand, was created from ‘mint fabric’ made from 50 percent mint bamboo viscose and 50 percent GOTS certified organic cotton, manufactured in Pistoia, Italy. The look features recycled graphite dyeing, created with recycled graphite powder substituting chemical dyes with a natural and non-toxic mineral otherwise disposed of in landfill.

This marks the second year of the Green Carpet challenge, a partnership between Eco-Age, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and Value Retail. Last year’s event was won by Italian designer Tiziano Guardiani, who stated in a press release that the competition had given her "priceless industry connections and essential business advice” to build her brand.

Desirée Bollier, chair of Value Retail Management, added: “The CNMI Green Carpet Talent Competition is an important initiative that reflects the commitment of The Bicester Village Shopping Collection to discovering and nurturing emerging design talent.

“The creativity and ingenuity I have witnessed has been inspiring. The agenda of the future is in the hands of such talent. The Bicester Village Shopping Collection’s mission is to mentor such talented individuals. Our retail and business mentorship is bespoke in order to address their individual needs so as to translate their vision into commercial and sustainable success. We look forward to working with the next generation of finalists.”

The 2018 winner will be announced on September 23 at La Scala, which will close Milan Fashion Week.

Images: courtesy of The CNMI Green Carpet Talent Competition

Judges left to right: Petra Nemcova, Livia Firth, Christopher Bevans, Camille Charriere, Hu Bing, Carmen Busquets, Edward Enninful, Ellie Goulding, Derek Blasberg, Desiree Bollier, Jenke Ahmed Tailly, Natalie Kingham, Carlo Capasa.