Six finalists have been announced for the 2021 Melbourne Fashion Festival National Designer Award.
The six finalists chosen by a panel of industry heavyweights are: E Nolan, LeoPhil, Holiday the Label, MAARA Collective, Autark and Commas.
The award, presented by David Jones, celebrates the future of the Australian fashion industry and forms part of the Festival’s Industry Development program, which also includes the National Graduate Showcase, Fashion Film Award and Fashion Writing Award.
MFF CEO Graeme Lewsey said that the award forms an important part of the Festival's support of emerging talent.
"The National Designer Award, which has been instrumental in defining the careers of some of Australia’s leading designers, provides real-world experience to emerging talent, calling upon industry leaders to lend their talents and time to assess, mentor, guide, support and promote.
"The Festival continues to foster the work of new and emerging local creative talent via its Industry Development Programs, providing viable career pathways and unprecedented industry access for the creation of a sustainable Australian fashion industry.
"At the moment, this support has never been more important," he said.
The six finalists will be able to engage with mentorship, networking and industry exposure opportunities, while one winner will take home significant winnings.
The National Designer Award winner will be awarded a cash prize of $10,000, marketing support and editorial showcase opportunities.
The winner's designs will feature alongside the best of Australian and international designers at the Gala Runway presented by David Jones.
The winner's collection will also be ranged across David Jones stores, following the successful introduction of the initiative in 2020.
And, for the first time this year, the 2021 winner will also have the opportunity to takeover a highly coveted window at the David Jones Bourke Street Mall for two weeks.
Meanwhile, the designer who takes out the Honourable Mention for Sustainability will be awarded an in-store exhibition at the same David Jones store.
National Designer Award judge and head of womenswear at David Jones, Bridget Veals said that the award gives winners commercial opportunities alongside the industry recognition.
"David Jones is proud to support initiatives that contribute to the growth and development of the Australian fashion industry.
"The development of a capsule collection with the winning designer ranged across David Jones, introduced in 2020, proved to be a great success, making the National Designer Award, not only one of the most reputable, but also the most commercially sound, fashion accolades in Australia," she said.
Other judges on the panel included Jillian Davison, creative director of Vogue Australia, Gary Theodore of Scanlan Theodore and Emily Taylor, editor of MFF Shop the Runway magazine.
The winner of the National Designer Award will be presented on February 25 2021.
MFF takes place from 11 – 20 March 2021.
Read more about the finalists below:
E Nolan, VIC
Melbourne-born womenswear label E Nolan has rapidly built a loyal following by offering a new standard for women’s tailoring in Australia. Named one of Vogue Australia’s Future Sixty in December 2019, E Nolan brings together classic, Saville Row tailoring methods with a tongue-in-cheek approach to sartorial self-expression.
LeoPhil, NSW
LeoPhil is a premium knitwear and accessory design label based in Sydney Australia and founded by Valerie Jantz. The designs are an expression of the passion for beautiful and well-made clothes and the love for natural fibres. Explorative, thoughtful and always with a keen eye for details - LeoPhil joins a modern aesthetic with playful elements and a laid-back, effortless feel.
Holiday the Label, NSW
Holiday is a label that’s all about extending your summer vacation glow. Dreamt up by Sydney-based designer Emma Mulholland, it has captured the drifting, restless travellers’ heart with 80s and 90s souvenir-inspired looks designed to stir up a life’s worth of vacation nostalgia.
MAARA Collective, NSW
MAARA Collective is an Australian luxury resortwear brand embracing a collaborative approach to design. We work closely with Indigenous artists and creatives, drawing inspiration from Country to present within the context of contemporary fashion. The brand's name MAARA Collective acknowledges and honours the ‘many hands’ involved in the creative and collaborative processes, where the word 'MAARA' refers to ‘hands’ in the Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaraay language groups.
Autark, SA
Launched in 2016, Autark was founded as a response to both the needs of the modern woman and the wide-ranging impact of the fashion industry on the world. Autark designs are striking, investment pieces created from the most luxurious of silks, cottons, linens and an array of natural fibers, that are carefully considered in their construction for maximum wearability and versatility.
Commas, NSW
Commas is a swim and resortwear label based in Sydney, Australia. The name represents a purposeful pause, a reminder to catch your breath, to recalibrate, and take pleasure in the moment. Crafted with the highest-quality fabrics sourced from Europe and Japan, each collection is designed as a complete resort wardrobe made to transcend the water and enter the everyday.