Woolmark Prize 2023: Lagos Space Programme and A. Roege Hove win big, looking out into wool’s futurism.

On Monday, Woolmark presented the 2023 instalment of the Woolmark Prize at the Le Petit Palais in Paris - a yearly competition which selects a range of designers to create a unique collection, created entirely of wool and push their creativity and fabrication in the aim of innovating and creating a difference in the production processes. Conducting research and supporting a supply chain of over 60,000 woolgrowers in Australia, Woolmark has driven innovation in materials by opening the floor for designers to experiment with the endless possibilities of the natural material, and how it looks outwards towards less impact across fashion.

Presenting their collections to the jury comprised of industry titans and creative mavericks in the face of Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier, Tim Blanks, Tyrone Lebon, Sinéad Burke, Marni’s Francesco Risso, Alessandro Sartori and Carine Roitfeld, the finalists push themselves further to question the production process, and look further into untapped techniques. The finalists for the 2023 edition comprised of A.ROEGE HOVE, BLUEMARBLE, Lagos Space Programme, Marco Rambaldi, MAXXIJ, Paolina Russo, R H U D E and Robyn Lynch, all had to interpret the theme of ‘DIALOGUE’ and provoke finalists into championing their story and point of view as a designer, writing out a letter of their commitments towards the next generations of creatives.

Lagos Space Programme, created by conceptual non-binary Nigerian designer Adeju Thompson won this year’s Woolmark Prize, emphasising on the creation of parallel concepts through different multidisciplinary projects in the space of craft and creation. The designer received the AU$200,000 prize, alongside access to Woolmark’s network of stockists and ongoing support from industry mentors. The next winner, awarded the Karl Lagerfeld Prize for Innovation was Danish designer Amalie Hove and her brand A. ROEGE HOVE, taking away a AU$100,000 prize, alongside further mentorship and stockist support for her collection, which weaved wool into the DNA of the collection, experimenting with the visual perception of the material into clothing.

“Ultimately, the International Woolmark Prize celebrates Australian Merino wool, with today'swinners and finalists imbued with a life-long lovefor the fibre,”explains The Woolmark Company Managing Director John Roberts.“Karl Lagerfeld is a prime example, and more recently, Gabriela Hearst, who won the Woolmark Prize here in Paris in 2017-continues to be a wonderful champion of the fibre. We're proud of the nurturing relationships developed as part of the program, connecting designers with the supply chain and breaking down barriers.This year’s finalists will now continue theirI WP journey, joining a prestigious alumni of more than 400 designers and will be presented with commercial opportunities via our Retail Partner Network.”