IMG has announced the 2022 winners of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week's (AAFW) Next Gen program.
Asiyam, Clea, Phoebe Pendergast and Not A Man's Dream have each been recognised as winners and will receive a prize worth over $100,000.
The prize includes a runway show production on the Next Gen runway, a content package including runway photography and livestream, and international shipping credits provided by DHL.
IMG Fashion Events and Properties APAC VP-MD Natalie Xenita praised the 2022 winners.
"Next Gen recognises the new guard of innovators influencing the future of fashion design in Australia.
"The 2022 winners have demonstrated talent not only in design, but in harnessing fashion’s power as a tool for communicating social and environmental messages that influence culture," she said.
Established in 1996, the Next Gen program has helped discover and launch the careers of top industry names including Akira, Anna Quan, Bec + Bridge, Camilla and Marc and Sass & Bide, among others.
The 2022 Next Gen runway will take place on Friday, 13 May at 10am.
The show will be complemented by a panel discussion with all four winners, as part of AAFW's The Talks schedule.
For more on each of the Next Gen winners, read below:
Asiyam
Founder and creative director Asia Hassan founded Asiyam to challenge the norms of how women should dress, born from her frustration of not being able to find well-designed and accessible clothing with modest aesthetics. The label features intricate details and fabric manipulation, designed to be worn by any woman.
Clea
Designer Natasha Gordon founded Clea in 2021, embracing an aesthetic that proposes a fresh balance of opposing elements – masculine and feminine, textural and clean, strength and softness, intricate and minimal. With meticulous attention to detail and carefully considered creation, each garment is designed with enduring elements and longevity at its core.
Phoebe Pendergast
Phoebe Pendergast launched her eponymous label in 2019 after graduating from RMIT’s Fashion Design Honours program. Pendergast’s design process draws inspiration from personal memories and experiences she wants to relive, creating pieces that evoke a visceral response within the wearer.
Not A Man's Dream
Designer Samantha Saint James’ vision for her label is to defy fashion’s gendered archetypes. Saint James combines traditional fashion design with contemporary innovation, art and culture, to create luxury androgynous streetwear that empowers the wearer.
