The semi-finalists of the second edition of Responsible Fashion Awards have been revealed

The first stage of the second edition of Responsible Fashion Awards, the first Polish competition aimed at promoting ecological values in the clothing industry, has been completed. This year’s edition of the competition brought a record number of applications. Eventually, out of over 200 submitted works, 161 were selected for further competition, 10 of which qualified for the semi-finals. The competition organised by the International School of Costume Design and Fashion Design in partnership with LPP – the owner of Reserved, Mohito, Cropp, House, and Sinsay brands – focuses on promoting the idea of sustainable fashion and encouraging people who want to create it with passion and conviction.

This year’s edition of Responsible Fashion Awards met with great interest on the part of the participants, surprising the organizers with the number of applications. Out of over 200 works that were submitted from Poland and abroad, as many as 161 were qualified for the further stage. The ten projects selected in the semi-final competition stood out especially in terms of the presented level and the enthusiasm with which their authors approached the issue of sustainable fashion. Not only does it prove the growing interest in the event itself, but also the growing importance of pro-environmental ideas in the world of fashion, which have been guiding the organisers and partners of the competition since the first edition.

– Currently, the fashion industry is experiencing a revolution in terms of ecological solutions. In LPP, with a view to supporting these changes, in addition to working on the sustainability of our own business, we are also committed to promoting these values in our industry. Through our partnership in the Responsible Fashion Awards, we want to promote green ideas among designers. Not only is the competition an opportunity for them to develop their careers, but above all to educate and prepare them to work with respect for the environment. This is also what we have been doing for a long time in creating our own collections. The wide interest in the competition also proved that the pandemic further strengthened the development of sustainable fashion and made people more sensitive to environmental issues. This is a very good signal which will certainly accelerate the sector’s efforts to achieve its goals in this area – says Anna Sołtys, Reserved Product Office Director, LPP.

The competition, this year opening up mainly to fashion enthusiasts, has visibly attracted many very young people – under 25 years of age, who are just taking their first steps in the designer’s profession.

– Last year, the competition regulations provided for the possibility to apply for RFA in two categories, as a professional and an enthusiast. This year, we abandoned this division by focusing on the idea of sustainable fashion itself. We wanted to give a chance to all those who create inspiring green projects with passion and conviction. Looking at the number of applications, I think that this plan has proved successful. Of course, the participants also comprised people with some experience, with high drawing skills, or mature creators who stand out in terms of artistry and a deep understanding of Responsible Fashion. And the selected semi-final ten presents a very high level in this respect, which constitutes a promise of an interesting development in the grand finale – says Dr Magdalena Płonka, founder of MSKPU.

The task in the competition was to create drawings of the collection, designed on the basis of ecological fabric samples made available by the organisers, together with its technical description. All semi-finalists will receive materials from LPP to be used to sew one of the models developed in order to justify before the Jury the choice of the technology in which they made the project. The winner will receive prizes – such as a one-year scholarship to study at the MSKPU, ecological fabrics from LPP for the realization of the unique author’s collection and participation in the MSKPU 2021 Diploma Show, as well as a cash prize of PLN 5,000. The winners will be selected by the RFA Jury composed of eminent figures from the world of fashion, education and show business from Poland and abroad. Among the 15 members there are also specialists in sustainable design education, journalists and experts in responsible fashion and eco-textile innovations.

The organisers

The organizers and substantive partners of the competition are MSKPU – the International School of Costume and Fashion Design in Warsaw and LPP.

MSKPU is the first school in Poland to have received the VOGUE TALENTS distinction twice; the school has been running classes on corporate social responsibility in the fashion industry. Each year, the school graduates pride themselves on being educated in the spirit of empathy, ecology or innovative design in textile engineering.

LPP is a Polish clothing manufacturer, which, for years, has been consistently implementing the commitments adopted as part of its sustainable development strategy aimed at limiting the impact of the company’s operations on the environment. The LPP brands’ responsibility for the people and environment does not limit itself to communicating the values related to CSR, but entails everyday work on a real change in fashion production methods.

Further agenda of the 2nd RFA edition

• 2 March – semi-finals in Warsaw and announcement of the winner
• 1 July 2021 – delivering the sewn models to the seat of MSKPU (the winner)
• July 2021 – The MSKPU diploma show.

More information about the competition is available at: https://mskpu.pl/responsible-fashion-awards-2020

______________________________________________________________________________

LPP SA is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For over 25 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collection already on 25 markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Berlin, Tel Aviv or Moscow. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. The company has a chain of over 1700 stores with the total area of over 1 million sq.m. The online offer of the brands collections is available on 29 markets. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 265 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP plays another important role as it employs over 24 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.