Donatella Versace will serve as the chief brand ambassador for Versace while chairing the jury for the upcoming International Woolmark Prize, aimed at supporting emerging talent in fashion.

Donatella Versace has taken on a new role as the chief brand ambassador for Versace, while still maintaining a close connection to the fashion industry. She has been appointed as the chair of judges for the 2025 International Woolmark Prize, a prestigious competition aimed at emerging fashion designers. This announcement was made on Thursday, and the final award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Milan on April 2, 2025.

The jury panel, featuring ten prominent figures from the fashion world, will collaborate to determine the contest’s winner. Among the judges are notable industry names such as Alessandro Sartori, artistic director of Zegna; Ib Kamara, art and image director at Off-White and the guest artistic director for this year’s contest; and Alessandro Dell’Acqua, founder of No. 21. Additionally, other members include Law Roach, Danielle Goldberg, Roopal Patel, Sinéad Burke, Honey Dijon, fashion writer Tim Blanks, and Simone Marchetti, Vanity Fair’s European editorial director.

Expressing her enthusiasm about the event, Versace stated, “Supporting the next generation of fashion talent has never been more important. I am so excited to host the Woolmark Prize in our home city of Milan and to meet the designers selected. I am sure they will all be winners in their own way,” as reported by Women’s Wear Daily. She also commended Woolmark for its unwavering support of the future of fashion.

The eight finalists competing for the 2025 award include Duran Lantink from the Netherlands, Raul Lopez of New York-based Luar, Rachel Scott of Diotima, Michael Stewart of London’s Standing Ground, Louis Gabriel Nouchi from Paris, Luca Lin of Act No.1, Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre of Ester Manas, and Meryll Rogge, who previously served as head of design for womenswear at Dries Van Noten.

The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of 300,000 Australian dollars, approximately $195,000, reflecting a 50 percent increase compared to previous editions. In addition to the main award, two special industry awards will also be presented during the ceremony. The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation recognizes an individual or brand that has advanced the use of merino wool, while the Supply Chain Award honors a member of the supply chain excelling in sustainable practices.

Each finalist has been allocated 60,000 Australian dollars to develop a six-look merino wool capsule, which can be integrated into their fall 2025 collection or presented as an independent offering. Woolmark has emphasized the importance of showcasing the versatility and innovative characteristics of merino wool, with at least one look required to be exclusive to the International Woolmark Prize.

Throughout the creation of the collections, the finalists have had access to a variety of industry mentors, including stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and fashion editor Sara Sozzani Maino, alongside Burke and Patel.

This upcoming edition will mark the first occurrence of the International Woolmark Prize in its new biannual format. The competition, previously held annually since its relaunch in 2012, transitioned to a two-year program aimed at placing greater emphasis on sustainability and innovation. For the first time, the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation is open to any brand in the fashion industry, thereby expanding its eligibility beyond just emerging labels.

The winner of the 2023 International Woolmark Prize was Lagos Space Programme, a Nigerian label focused on challenging perceptions of African fashion through designs incorporating Yoruba tradition and queer identity. The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation was awarded to Danish knitwear brand A. Roege Hove. Notable past winners of the International Woolmark Prize include figures such as Saul Nash, Matty Bovan, Richard Malone, Bode, Rahul Mishra, Edward Crutchley, Matthew Miller, and iconic designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino Garavani.

Source: Noah Wire Services