2023 Overview
In its 13th cycle in 2023, the Redress Design Award was thrilled to welcome Finalists to Hong Kong once again, after four years of travel restrictions due to the global pandemic. The competition continued to challenge designers to transform waste textiles into contemporary fashion through circular design principles, culminating into a runway show at CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong. Along the way, our educational activities supported their growth in creating sustainable fashion, including design challenges which have been turned into case studies for the Redress Academy.
Our Vol. 10 magazine, presented in a hybrid print and digital format for a second year, invites readers to reflect on the rising textile waste crisis and look towards sustainable solutions. We also supported our competition Alumni with multiple activities including another successful showcase at Shenzhen Fashion Week.
Find out more about this cycle’s highlights below!
Meet The Designers
Meet the Finalists and Semi-finalists
Shortlisted from hundreds of applications from 46 regions across the world, these emerging designers had their collections reviewed by an international panel of judges with sustainable industry expertise.
First Prize
Nils Hauser
Nils Hauser won the coveted First Prize, securing a sustainable design collaboration with global outdoor lifestyle leader, Timberland.
Runner-up
Ruwanthi Gajadeera
Ruwanthi Gajadeera won the Runner-up Prize Mentorship with distinguished sustainable fashion designer, Orsola de Castro.
Hong Kong Best Prize
Mandy Fong
The Hong Kong Best Prize was awarded to Mandy Fong, to commend her achievements for leading Hong Kong’s pool of emerging sustainable designers.
People’s Choice Award
Pavneet Kaur
Pavneet Kaur was voted as the Redress Design Award 2023 People’s Choice Winner.
Alumni Prize
Eric Wong
Bagging this year’s Alumni Prize, Hong Kong Alumnus Eric Wong of Absurd Laboratory collaborated with our partner Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong to reimagine their used airbag waste fabric into two upcycled showpieces which were displayed at the BAM Festival.
OUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS
Meet the Finalists playlist
Get to know the talented cohort of 2023 Finalist designers introduced by stylist Kayla Wong and Redress founder Christina Dean! This video series goes behind the scenes of the creative process in the designers’ home studios, shares their commitments and approaches to sustainable fashion, along with final looks from the fashion photoshoot.
Grand Final Fashion Show
Step into the buzz of the Redress Design Award 2023! This highlights video goes behind the scenes with our 9 finalists in their time spent with the Redress team in the week leading up to the Grand Final Show. Get a glimpse of judging, challenges, through to their bold looks coming to life on the runway, and winners announced!
Grand Final Fashion Show Runway
See the Redress Design Award 2023 Finalists’ outfits in the flesh walking the runway at our Grand Final Fashion Show!
Watch the full show here.
Grand Final Fashion Presentation Front Row and Arrival
The Redress Design Award 2024 enjoyed a packed room of industry movers and shakers, plus top influencers. Take a look at our star studded front row!
Photoshoot Behind the Scenes
The editorial photoshoot of the Redress Design Award 2023, titled ‘Reflection’, invites us to ponder the rising textile waste crisis and look towards sustainable solutions.
Watch the behind-the-scenes video here.
Photoshoot: Reflection
Step through the looking glass with the Redress Design Award 2023 Finalists: with circular design techniques, creativity, and innovation, these nine emerging talents from around the world tackle and transform everyday waste streams into a gallery of exquisite looks.
VIP Launch Event
Digital Exhibition
Enjoy the Redress Design Award 2023 Finalists’ collections in this digital exhibition to discover more about their inspirations and techniques.
Hong Kong Exhibitions
Following their debut at the Grand Final Fashion Show of the Redress Design Award 2023, the international Finalists’ collections, along with select Alumni brand designs were displayed at The Mills and at the Redress Pop-up+ in Hong Kong. The exhibitions were open to the public with free admission.
A key interactive and consumer-focused tech feature allowed guests to share digital outfits using Instagram filters.
Grand Final Judging
Each year, our judges — selected from around the globe for their subject expertise in retail, design, and more — look for standout applications demonstrating skills in creativity, sustainability, and marketability.
Get an inside look at the process here.
Alumni Showcase at SS24 Shenzhen Fashion Week
In partnership with the Shenzhen Garment Industry Association (SGIA), Redress showcased at Shenzhen Fashion Week for the second time, presenting five emerging sustainable brands from our Redress Design Award Alumni in a dedicated runway show and exhibit for the SS24 edition. Catch the thrill by rewatching the show here, and explore the looks in the photo gallery below.
Alumni Showcase at Grand Final Fashion Show
Six Alumni brands were showcased in Hong Kong to our industry audience as part of the Redress Design Award 2023 runway show. The showcase is part of the ongoing career support to the programme Alumni, our community of previous Finalists, Semi-finalists and Rising Talents.
Watch the full show here.
Alumni Booth at CENTRESTAGE
We presented six Alumni brands at a dedicated booth at CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong. They were if.or__seeyou by 2012 Semi-finalist, Janus Ha, Hong Kong; PCES STUDIO by 2021 winner, Jessica Chang, Taiwan; Pei-wen Jin, 2021 runner-up, Taiwan; Restagno Design by 2022 Semi-finalist Lorenzo Restagno, Hong Kong; SIGN by 2022 Hong Kong Best winner, Patrick Lam, Hong Kong; and XAVAN by 2020 menswear winner, Lê Ngọc Hà Thu, Vietnam.
These Alumni are at the forefront of a new breed of fashion designers prioritising sustainability and circularity as much as desirability.
Meet some of them here.
Circular Redesign Challenge with TAL Apparel
In the Circular Redesign Challenge with TAL Apparel, we challenged our Finalists to create an outfit using defective shirts, inspired by an exclusive circular design collection from The R Collective and Alumni brand Garcia Bello.
Customer Redesign Challenge with Delta Global
Designing for circularity goes beyond the garment — it’s also about communicating your brand story to build emotional attachment with consumers to encourage longevity. In the Customer Experience Challenge with Delta Global, we challenged our Redress Design Award Finalists to inspire customers through fashion’s packaging
Educating Fashion Students
As part of our mission to educate designers on circular fashion, we reached students and industry professionals through various activities. We hosted 15 talks and 4 workshops for 673 students, while 1,529 took our Circular Fashion Design Courses. We also took part in numerous panels to discuss circular fashion strategies across Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Plus, we published our first industry report exploring the role, influence and opportunity for circular designers.
Alumni: Prizes and more
Bagging this year’s Alumni Prize, Hong Kong Alumnus Eric Wong of Absurd Laboratory collaborated with our partner Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong to reimagine their used airbag waste fabric into two upcycled showpieces which were displayed at the BAM Festival.
In the 2023 cycle, in addition to Alumni brand showcases, we also:
Hosted a virtual networking event on 19 October 2023 for our talented Alumni designers from across the globe, connecting them with industry experts from fields including marketing, retail, sourcing, recycling, and more. This online event gave our 30 participants the opportunity to exchange thoughts about the fashion industry and sustainability, and for the Alumni to get advice and knowledge to support their careers in sustainable fashion.
Launched a peer-to-peer mentorship programme to foster connection and experience sharing between more experienced Alumni with newer recruits
Facilitated connections between Alumni and the wider industry for collaborations, jobs, and textile waste sourcing opportunities.
Rising Talents
The Redress Design Award’s Rising Talents programme offers an exclusive sustainability enrichment experience to a selection of Redress Design Award applicants demonstrating exceptional potential.
This year marked the second installation of this exciting new programme, and included five Rising Talents who were each paired with an Alumni mentor and received an in-depth tailored mentorship with one or more industry experts.
Digital Magazine
Envision a circular future for fashion with the Redress Design Award 2023 magazine. Issue ten was released in print as an online version offering extended content including interviews with former competition winners and behind-the-scenes glimpses at the photoshoot. The theme of ‘Reflection’ invited readers to ponder the rising textile waste crisis and look towards sustainable solutions, envisioning a circular future for fashion.
Judges
Selected from around the globe for their subject expertise, each year our judges look for standout applications demonstrating skills in creativity, sustainability, and marketability. Learn more about the 2023 judges in our magazine!
SIMON AU
Managing Editor, Vogue and Vogue Man Hong Kong
ORSOLA DE CASTRO
Author and Co-founder, Fashion Revolution
KRYSTYNA DZAN
Senior Director, Product and Concept to Consumers, Timberland – APAC region
KÉVIN GERMANIER
Creative Director, GERMANIER and Alumnus, Redress Design Award
ROD HENDERSON
President, TAL Apparel Ltd
DORIAN HO
Creative Director and CEO, Doriano International Ltd
PETER HUI
Honorary Secretary, Sustainable Fashion Business Consortium
JEANNIE RENNÉ-MALONE
Vice President, Global Sustainability, VF Corporation
ANGUS TSUI
Creative Director, ANGUS TSUI and Alumnus, Redress Design Award
Finalists
Frances Brunner, USA
Jasmine Leung, Hong Kong
Mandy Fong Sze Man, Hong Kong
Molly Ryan, Australia
Nils Hauser, Germany
Pavneet Kaur, India
Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Sri Lanka
Kim Yanghun, France
Wen Hanzhang, Canada
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
LEAD Sponsor
Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in June 2009 to spearhead the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. From 1 July 2022 onwards, it is under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community.
gold sponsor
Silver sponsor
BRONZE SPONSOR
HOTEL SPONSOR
LOGISTICS PARTNER
CHALLENGE PARTNER
LIVESTREAM PARTNER
CLIMATE EDUCATION PARTNER
PRIZE PARTNER
EVENT PARTNER
HAIR SPONSOR
PRIZE SPONSORS
FOOD & BEVERAGE SPONSOR
MEDIA PARTNERS
MAKE-UP SPONSOR
EXHIBITION PARTNER
Accounting Sponsor
Supporting Organisations
Supporting Universities, Colleges and Institutions (Listed Alphabetically)
AFRICA
Design Academy Of Fashion (South Africa)
FEDISA (South Africa)
LegsApparel Fashion School (Nigeria)
North West School of Design (South Africa)
The Elizabeth Galloway Academy (South Africa)
AMERICAS
Columbia College Chicago (United States of America)
Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, Fiber Science & Apparel Design (United States of America)
Drexel University (United States of America)
Fashion Institute of Technology (United States of America)
Kansas State University (United States of America)
Kent State University (United States of America)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Canada)
LaSalle College Vancouver (Canada)
Parsons School of Design (United States of America)
Savannah College of Art and Design (United States of America)
St Catherine University (United States of America)
St. Clair College (Canada)
The University of Alabama (United States of America)
Universidad de los Andes (Colombia)
Universidad de morón (Argentina)
Universidad LCI Monterrey (Mexico)
University of Buenos Aires (UBA/FADU) (Argentina)
University of North Texas (United States of America)
University of the Valley of Mexico (Mexico)
Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada)
Belmont University (United States of America)
George Brown College (Canada)
ASIA
Academy of Design (AoD) (Sri Lanka)
American Polytechnic College (Vietnam)
Amity University Kolkata (India)
Anhui Polytechnic University (Mainland China)
Bangkok University (Thailand)
Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (Mainland China)
Bunka Fashion College (Japan)
Caritas Bianchi College of Careers (Hong Kong)
Chongqing Technology and Business University, Institute of Modern International Design (Mainland China)
CIDI Chanapatana International Design Institute (Thailand)
Clothing Industry Training Authority (Hong Kong)
Condé Nast Center Of Fashion & Design (Mainland China)
Dankook University (South Korea)
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (Philippines)
DETAO Masters Academy Class at Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (Mainland China)
Donghua University (Mainland China)
ESEDS School of Design (India)
ESMOD Japon (Japan)
ESMOD Seoul (Korea)
Fu Jen Catholic University (Taiwan)
Guangdong University of Technology - School of Arts and Design (Mainland China)
Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts - School of Innovation Design (Mainland China)
IFA Paris (Mainland China)
Indian Institute of Fashion & Design - IIFD (India)
Indian School of Design and Innovation (ISDI) Parsons Mumbai (India)
Institut de Mode International (Mainland China)
INTI International College Subang (IICS) (Malaysia)
JD Institute of Fashion Technology (India)
Jiangnan University (Mainland China)
Korea National Open University (South Korea)
LaSalle College Jakarta (Indonesia)
LaSalle College of the Arts Singapore (Singapore)
London College For Fashion Studies Hanoi (Vietnam)
Malaysia Institute of Art (Malaysia)
Management Development Institute of Singapore (Singapore)
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore)
National Institute of Fashion Technology (India)
Oriental Institute of Technology (Department of Materials and Textiles, Fashion) (Taiwan)
Pearl Academy (India)
Philippine Women’s College of Davao (Philippines)
Quanzhou Normal University (Mainland China)
Raffles Bangkok (Thailand)
Raffles College of Higher Education (Kuala Lumpur) (RKL) (Malaysia)
Raffles Design Institute (Singapore)
Raffles Design Institute Shanghai (Mainland China)
Raffles University Iskandar (Malaysia)
Shanghai Design College of China Academy (Mainland China)
Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (SCF)
Shenzhen University (Mainland China)
Shih Chien University - Department of Fashion Design (Taiwan)
Shu Te University - Fashion Design Department (Taiwan)
Slim's Fashion & Arts School (Philippines)
Slim's Fashion & Arts School, Inc.(Philippines)
SoFA Design Institute (Philippines)
Technological & Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Temasek Polytechnic (Singapore)
The Hong Kong Design Institute (Hong Kong)
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - School of Fashion and Textiles (Hong Kong)
UCSI University (Malaysia)
University of Moratuwa -Department of Integrated Design (Sri Lanka)
Whistling Woods International – School of Fashion (India)
Zhejiang Fashion Institute of Technology (Mainland China)
Hunan University of Technology and Commerce (Mainland China)
EUROPE
Aalto University (Finland)
AAS College - School of Art & Design (Greece)
Accademia Costume & Moda, Italy-Rome (Italy)
Amsterdam Fashion Academy (Netherlands)
Amsterdam Fashion Institute (Netherlands)
ArtEZ University of the Arts (Netherlands)
Bath Spa University (United Kingdom)
Birmingham City University (United Kingdom)
Bristol School of Art & Design (United Kingdom)
Cardiff Metropolitan University (United Kingdom)
Central Saint Martins (United Kingdom)
Coventry University (United Kingdom)
Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design (Poland)
Design School Kolding (Denmark)
Domus Academy (Italy)
EASD Valencia (Spain)
Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (EnsAD) (France)
ESAD (Escola Superior de Artes e Design) (Portugal)
ESDi Higher School of Design (Spain)
ESMOD France (France)
ESNE, University School of Design, Innovation and Technology (Spain)
Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia)
Fashion Design Institut Germany (Germany)
Formamod (France)
Glasgow School of Art (United Kingdom)
Gray’s School of Art (United Kingdom)
Greater Brighton Metropolitan College (United Kingdom)
Heriot-Watt University (United Kingdom)
Northumbria University (United Kingdom)
IED Istituto Europeo di Design (Spain)
IFA Paris (France)
Institut Français de la Mode (France)
Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (Ukraine)
L'École Supérieure d’Art Françoise Conte (France)
Lahti University of Applied Sciences (LAMK Lahden ammattikorkeakoulu) (Finland)
Leeds College of Art (United Kingdom)
Letterkenny Institute of Technology (United Kingdom)
LISAA (L'Institut Superieur des Arts Appliques) (France)
Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom)
London College of Fashion (United Kingdom)
Manchester Metropolitan University - Manchester School of Art & Manchester Fashion Institute (United Kingdom)
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Degree Programme in Fashion and Clothing (Finland)
MSKPU- International School of Fashion and Costume Design (Poland)
NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (Italy)
Norwich University of the Arts (United Kingdom)
Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom)
Parsons Paris (France)
Polimoda (Italy)
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication (United Kingdom)
Regent's University London (United Kingdom)
Sheffield Hallam University (United Kingdom)
SSUD Brno, The School of Art and Design - Ekotextil Design Department (Czechia)
SUPDEMOD (France)
Swedish School of Textiles, University of Borås (Sweden)
Ulster University (United Kingdom)
University Centre Colchester (United Kingdom)
University of Central Lancashire (United Kingdom)
University of Chester (United Kingdom)
University of Derby (United Kingdom)
University of Hertfordshire (United Kingdom)
University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)
University of Leeds (United Kingdom)
University of South Wales (United Kingdom)
VIA Design, VIA University College (Denmark)
Vilnius College of Design (VCD) (Lithuania)
Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton (United Kingdom)
MIDDLE EAST
American university in the Emirates (United Arab Emirates)
Dubai Institute of Design Innovation (United Arab Emirates)
Faculty of Industrial Design, University of Tehran (Iran)
Shenkar College (Israel)
Science and Culture University (Iran)
OCEANIA
Box Hill Institute (Australia)
Curtin University - School of Design and the Built Environment (Australia)
Holmesglen Institute (Australia)
Kangan Institute (Australia)
Massey University (New Zealand)
Otago Polytechnic (New Zealand)
Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
RMIT (Australia)
The School of Art, Architecture and Design at the University of South Australia (Australia)
University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
Whitecliffe College of Art & Design (New Zealand)
Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.