Swedish H&M Hennes & Mauritz 2013 Design Award celebrated
The winner of the 2013 H&M Design Award, Minju Kim, a 26 year old student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp was given the chance to present her collection with her own show at the Mercedes-Benz Stockholm Fashion Week in Sweden together with a prize of EUR 50000 and the opportunity to develop pieces from their collection to be sold in selected H&M stores this coming autumn
Minju Kim was chosen by a grand jury which included fashion designer Jonathan Saunders, editor-at-large Tim Blanks, stylist Leith Clark, photographer Solve Sundsbo, blogger and photographer Hannell Mustaparta, fashion journalist Kristopher Arden Houser, H&M’s Creative Advisor Margareta van den Bosch, and H&M’s Head of Design Anne-Sofie Johansson.
Tim Blanks stated: “Minju had everything. From the first little detail to the last elaborate outfit, it was incredibly coherent, and with an attitude to life that was so joyeous. I just felt good looking at her clothes. You can see how people would really be seduced by Minju’s designs”.
Minju Kim declared: “I still can’t believe it that I have won the H&M Design 2013 Award. It is so amazing to be able to show at Mercedes-Benz Stockholm Fashion Week, and to experience what it is like to have a show all to yourself. It is such an outstanding opportunity and such a big suprise.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s Head of Design added: “I am so happy that Minju Kim has won the Award. Her collection was amazing, full of creativity, happiness and the joy of exploring different shapes and details. Minju kept it all together with a strong sense of design and craftsmanship”.
Minju is a designer from South Korea who is now in her final masters’ year studying fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Anwerp (B). She won the Award (it is the second of its kind) with her BA collection titled “Dear My Friend”, inspired by Japanese Manga cartoonist Junji Ito. The inspiration may be fantastical, but the work that went into the collection was incredibly serious. When Minju graduates in 2014, she plans to gain experience through internships at established brands, before setting up a label of her own.
It has to be added that there is also a H&M Design Award People’s Prize (by visiting the website) and this went to Alba Prat who studied at University of Art in Berlin (D) and for the favourite collection. Prat receives a month’s internship at Jonathgan Saunders in London (GB) giving her the chance to gain invaluable experience with one of fashion’s hottest designers.