Awards
Innovative bed sheet will get Techtextil Innovation Prize
At Techtexil 2013 in Frankfurt (June 11 – 13, 2013), Swiss Empa (Science and Materials) and Swiss Schoeller Medical AG as well as the Swiss ParaplecCentre will be bestowed with the Innovation Prize in the New Application category for a jointly developed bed sheet preventing bedsores, a solution at low cost and effective for reducing pressure sores on bedridden patients
As we all know, bedsores are a serious problem in health care, because during long periods of immobility, blood circulation in the skin decreases due to moisture as well as pressure and shear forces. The accumulation of toxic substances and the lack of oxygen cause damage to the skin, resulting in sores that are difficult to heal, and in the worst case these can be life threatening. The known methods to prevent bedsores are either very expensive or not yet effective enough.
The joint project by Empa, Schoeller Medical and Swiss Paraplegic Centre focused on a method of bedsore prevention that is impressive in its simplicity. It is a bed sheet with a particularly skin friendly surface. The special “dot matrix structure” of the fabric reduces pressure and friction an conducts the moisture away from skin. After laboratory test and clinical trials, the smart textile sheet is currently undergoing final testing before it is launched in the market later this year. Through the bestowing it already enjoys international recognition.
The Innovation Prize promotes unconventional thinking and dialogue between research, industry and users. The official award ceremony will take place during Techtextil trade fair in June in Frankfurt (D).
2013 Spirit of Design Award went to fashion designer Nicole Miller
On April 27, 2013, celebrated fashion designer Nicole Miller was presented with the 2013 Spirit of Design Award at the Philadelphia University Fashion Show (USA), at Philadelphia’s historic Academy of Music
Miller stated: “I feel like I just got the Oscar” when she was presented with the crystal award from Philadelphia University President Stephen Spinelli Jr., as part of the University’s Evening of Innovation. Miller added “Innovation has always been the most important thing to me. It is so much more important than design!” Around 2000 people, students, family members, faculty staff, fashion designers, fashion and apparel industry representatives applauded.
With a contemporary style that draws on a wide range of influences, Miller’s designs are known for their innovative fabrics, such as her signature stretch metal, as well as her whimsical prints and attention to perfect proportions and fit. A virtualwho’s who of Hollywood have worn Miller’s designs, including celebrities Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie and Eva Longoria.
Nicole Miller apparel and accessories are sold in her namesake boutiques around the world and at high end retailers Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Her designs have been praised in Vogue, W, Elle, InStyle and numerous other publications, including the New York Times, which called Miller one of the leading female designers of her generation.
Over the years she expanded from apparel to wedding collections, home furnishings, fragrances, lingerie, swimwear, handbags and other lifestyle items. She was one of the first high fashion designers to create collections for mass market retail, collaborating with J.C. Penney and Bed, Bath & Beyond. She has presented her disigns at New York Fashion Week every year since 1990.
After the bestowing there was a runway show, featuring the best of this year’s colourful, creative and innovative student designs, all in all there were 250 extraordinary designs, including evening and sportswear, bathing suits and men’s and children’s apparel. Many fashion design students collaborated with textile design students on one-of-a-kind knitwear and innovative fabrics. One of the evening’s top winners was senior Sarah Fitzgerald, whose stunning collections called “borrowed baroque”, in crams and browns with see-through panels, won four awards, including the best senior collection and Chico’s Award for Design Excellence. Her striking gown from the collection won best of show and the Frank Agostino Eveningwear Award for Design and Execution.
The Spirit of Design Award is presented annually to an influential designer who has made outstanding contributions to design and has served as an inspiration to fashion student and young designers. Previous winners of the prestigious award include menswear designer and NBC Fashion Star mentor John Varvatos, Francisco Costa, Tommy Hilfiger, Geoffrey Beene and Mary McFadden-
Philadelphia University was founded in 188 and is a private university with 3600 students enrolled in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate programs. It includes the innovative Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, thje College of Architecture and the Build Environment, as well as the College of Science, Health and the Liberal Arts.
Première Vision Grand Prix 2013 bestowed
Finnish designer Satu Maaranen won the first prize at the prestigious Hyères (F) International Festival of Fashion and Photography on the French Riviera
Satu Maaranen’s fashion collection for women was bestowed with the Première Vision Grand Prix worth EUR 15000. Her collection was inspired by nature, haute couture and innovative textiles and particularly with its hand printed fabrics and prints, the later made her the unanimous winner by the jury and the jurors liked also her use of strong colours. Firstly she was amongst ten finalists of totally 355 entries.
The event takes place since the early 80s and has served as springboard for many international names in design, such as Viktor & Rolf, the main designer of Thierry Mugler, Roman Kremer, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, and Henrik Viskov.
Already in 2012 design students from Finnish Aalto University won the first prize, it is the university Maaranen graduated from the Department of Design School of Arts, Design and Architecture. She has also designed for Marimekko.