Centre for Sustainable Fashion

The theme for 2009 was Water, with a cross-discipline award focusing on solutions to deal with the fashion industry’s undeniable dependency on our most precious resource.

Miriam Rhida, Winner of award for Design for a Thriving Fashion Industry. Photography by Tomer Halfon

Clothes made from recycled cotton paper, exquisite design that need less laundering, hand crafted luxurious hemp satin pieces and hand-knitted pieces that are fastened onto basic wardrobe staples to create a completely adjustable wardrobe to cherish are just some of the winning ideas from Fashioning the Future Awards 2009.

The winners were announced at a glittering ceremony hosted by fashion commentator and broadcaster Caryn Franklin, at the top of City Hall overlooking the London skyline on 25 November 2009.  Awards were presented by Centre for Sustainable Fashion ambassador Jo Wood, BBC 1 ONE show presenter Lucy Siegle and Duncan Goose CEO of charity ONE Water.

Each winner demonstrated that being sustainable does not mean compromising on style or quality and were announced as:

Zoe Fletcher won the Enterprise & Communication Initiative for a Future Fashion Industry Award (Highly Commended: Ruby Hoette and Julia Crew)

Varun Gambhir won the Role of Materials in a Sustainable Fashion Industry Award (Highly Commended: Karina Micheal)

Mary Hanlon won the Systems for a Sustainable Fashion Industry Award

Miriam Rhida won the Design for a Thriving Fashion Industry Award (Highly Commended: Eleanor Dorrien-Smith and On Ying Lai)

Emma Rigby won the Water – The Right for All Citizens of this Planet Award (Highly Commended: Anne Prahl).

Fashioning the Future – the leading international student competition for design and innovation in sustainable fashion – has been pioneered through the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and by Professor Frances Corner, Head of London College of Fashion, as part of her commitment as a London Leader, a major programme run by the London Sustainable Development Commission which brings together a group of individuals from across London who pioneer sustainability in their field.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “This competition has clearly sparked a wealth of cracking ideas from the capital’s young designers bringing together style, practicality and the environment. It’s a brilliant example of our London Leaders programme in action. London is internationally recognised as one of the world’s greatest fashion centres for good reason and it is through the type of innovation displayed by these young designers that we will retain this preeminent position.”

Professor Frances Corner said: “As a London Leader for 2009 it has been my job to demonstrate sustainability in action – Fashioning the Future has reached out to a global community of students who have submitted ideas that prove that the next generation of fashion industry professionals have the ideas, ingenuity and skills to revolutionise the fashion industry from within.  Together we are provoking, challenging and questioning the fashion status quo to find new sustainable solutions for our industry and to encourage and motivate others to do the same.”

John Plowman, Chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission, said “The London Sustainable Development Commission’s London Leaders programme is delighted to support this pursuit and celebration of innovation and creative talent. Fashion has a huge global impact on the environment, society and the economy. Finding more resource-efficient solutions, providing benefit to all involved, therefore represents a priority for the fashion industry of the future.”

View details of Fashioning the Future 2011

2009 Finalists

Design for a Thriving Fashion Industry
Cecilia Ku, China
Claire Smith, UK
Eleanor Dorrian-Smith, UK
Emma Churchill, New Zealand
Hoi Lam Wong, China
Robson Beyers, UK/US
Joanne Jones, UK
Miriam Rhida, UK
Nicole Ferreira, South Africa
On Ying Lai, China
Susana Bettencourt, Portugal

Enterprise & Communication Initiative for a Future Fashion Industry
Carmel Walsh, Italy
Danielle Sponder, US
Jenny Welwert Gil, UK
Julia Crew, UK
Kerrie Luft, UK
Meaghan Orlisnki, Canada
Ruby Hoette, The Netherlands
Tara Mooney, Ireland
Zoe Grace Fletcher, UK

The Role of Materials in a Sustainable Fashion Industry
Julia Roebuck, UK
Karina Michel, US
Lauren Bowker, UK
Lizzie Harrison, UK
Nicola Woods, UK
Sharn Sandor, US
Varun Gambhir, India

Systems for a Sustainable Fashion Industry
Amy Springett, UK
Danielle Baker, UK
Felicia Felton, US
Larica Sam, UK
Mary Hanlon, Canada
Sam Formo, US
Sarah Rhodes, UK
Skye Schuchman, US
Yu Ka Sin, China

Water – The Right for All Citizens of this Planet
Anne Prahl, UK
Emma Rigby, UK
Kinza Zahid Mirza, The Netherlands
Lauren Palmer, UK

Judging panel
Lucy Siegle (leading ethical investigative journalist and BBC broadcaster)
Caryn Franklin (fashion commentator and broadcaster)
Mark Sumner (Marks & Spencer)
Solitaire Townsend (Futerra Communications)
Helen Storey (designer and Professor of Fashion & Science)

Fashioning the Future 2009 was kindly supported by:
Harold Tillman, Chairman of the British Fashion Council
London Leaders programme at London Sustainable Development Commission
Creative Connexions