CATEGORIES
THE FASHION IMPACT AWARD
Innovative Design and Materials Award
This award seeks to recognise a designer of clothes or / and textiles who is pioneering sustainable practices or technologies. For instance, this designer could be using creative pattern-making, introducing new technologies, innovating new business models, applying reconstruction techniques, innovating new materials and techniques, or returning to old, sustainable and cultural practices. If the innovative approach is not original, the innovation being adopted in a contemporary design should be acknowledged. Judges will consider the potential impact of the innovation. The purpose of this category is to highlight and reward those who are pushing boundaries and leading the charge in reimagining what fashion can be.
Accessory Award
This award recognises an accessory brand that implements ethical labour practices, avoids toxic chemicals, considers end-of-life and uses sustainable materials to create a quality item. Ideally, materials used are locally sourced, recyclable or recycled materials. The quality, durability, creativity and innovative design of the nominated brands will be assessed.
Examples of accessories are: jewellery, belts, cuff links and studs, sunglasses, gloves, handbags, hats and headwear, neckties, purses, socks and stockings, veils. Although shoes and boots are sometimes categorised as accessories, we have a separate footwear category.
Emerging Designer Award
This category is suitable for young emerging designers who are in the early stages of establishing their brands. Designers can enter using one garment or a collection that addresses the challenges of sustainability in the most exciting and beautiful way. The judging assessment will look for creativity and innovation and for how young designers are engaging with environmental, cultural and social responsibilities. The judges will also consider the designers’ commercial potential and promise in contributing to the future of sustainable fashion. The designers should have been creating fashion and testing their markets for no more than three years, and should have made new garments/collections in the last 12 months and before August 2024.
Footwear Award
This category recognises a brand, cobbler or designer who makes shoes and implements ethical labour practices, limits toxic chemicals, considers end-of-life and creates a quality and durable item. Ideally, materials are locally sourced, recyclable or recycled materials. The category also includes repairers of shoes. The quality, durability, creativity and innovative design of the nominated brands or shoes will be assessed.
Trans-seasonal Design Award
This award recognises a collection, garment or brand that promotes trans-seasonal, multi-functionality and versatile style. It rewards quality design that aspires to be timeless and is made to last, i.e. design that transcends seasons. This category also recognises brands that remain invested in garments after their sale, for example, through the provision of lifetime guarantees and repair services. It supports slower production cycles through trendless fashion and timeless, well-made pieces that will last. The purpose of this category is to encourage the fashion industry to move away from the fast-paced, trend-driven nature of traditional fashion cycles.
Farm-to-Fashion Award
This category celebrates a brand or designer who is committed to cultivating transparent and traceable supply chains and advocating for regenerative and sustainable textile practices. The farm-to-fashion movement advocates for rebuilding localised, natural fibre textile systems and supply chains. The garments created should be made from 100% natural fabric, no fossil-fuel based synthetics and as few toxins and chemicals as possible. The purpose of this category is to promote a holistic view of sustainability in the fashion industry, encouraging practices that consider the environmental and social impacts of fashion from the very first stages of production on the farm.
Artisanal Fashion Award
This award recognises a designer who uses artisanal craft techniques such as weaving, embroidery, botanical dyeing or another artisanal practice to make fashion that foregrounds, celebrates and values the culture and skills of the people who make the garments. Craft is a living example of slow-paced, resource-mindful and socially and culturally sustainable production. The purpose of this category seeks to recognise the contribute to preserving skills while also integrating them into the modern fashion landscape. This category also promotes a deeper appreciation for the time, skill, and cultural heritage embedded in each handcrafted piece, encouraging consumers to value and invest in artisanal fashion.
Retail Award
This award recognises a retailer or retailing initiative that enhances and supports sustainability and circularity through selling pre-loved and gently worn clothes, swap shops, garment rental, and similar commercial and non-commercial activities that keep clothes in use for as long as possible. The award is also open to retailers who support local producers and designers, vertical and regional supply chains and sustainable design and manufacturing. It also recognises the implemention of sustainable practices within retail operations.
Tastemaker Award
Tastemakers decide or influence what is, or will become, fashionable. This award recognises a photographer, stylist, influencer, or content creator who has actively promoted slow, sustainable fashion and/or slow living over the last 12 months and who has sparked relevant conversations. This person is helping to shift our fashion aspirations and is contributing to a sustainable fashion ecosystem by amplifying alternative fashion practices in the media. The Tastemaker supports slow fashion habits and conscious local businesses while promoting these 5Rs (reduce, repair, refashion, reuse, recycle). The judges will also look at how the fashion content intersects with issues such as race, diversity, inclusion, identity, and culture.
WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
will be presented to an outstanding Yorkshire womenswear designer who has made a significant creative impact in the fashion industry.
MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
will be presented to an outstanding Yorkshire menswear designer who has made a significant creative impact in the fashion industry.
Student Award
This category is suitable for students who currently are registered at a UK academic institution. Designers can enter using one garment or a collection that addresses the challenges of sustainability in the most exciting and beautiful way. The judging assessment will look for creativity and innovation and will recognise that student designers have the freedom to challenge fashion’s status quo, engaging with environmental, cultural and social responsibilities in a playful and creative way.
DIGITAL FASHION CREATOR OF THE YEAR
will be presented to a Yorkshire fashion blogger or website that demonstrates creativity, excellence, and range in online fashion critique, reporting, and photography
HAIR ARTIST OF THE YEAR
will be presented to an innovative Yorkshire hair artist who is emerging as a true creative force in the fashion industry
FASHION INSTITUTION OF THE YEAR
will be presented to the most deserving fashion institution in Yorkshire
LEGACY AWARD
is the highest honour given. It recognises an individual whose journey and contributions aid in creating or expanding a legacy of inclusivity and opportunity within the fashion industry. The recipient of this award is one whose tenacity and focus have charted pathways for innovation and community, especially for those who have been traditionally underrepresented or underserved.