The winners of the anniversary edition of the Responsible Fashion Awards have been announced

Monika Marczak-Żynkin won the fifth anniversary edition of the Responsible Fashion Awards. LPP is a partner of the competition promoting pro-ecological and pro-ethical values in fashion.

The Responsible Fashion Awards is a competition that has been organised by the International School of Costume and Fashion Design for five years. The initiative is aimed at designers and seeks to promote eco-friendly and pro-ethical values in fashion. Thus, the participants’ task is to design a collection in the spirit of sustainability.

– The anniversary edition showcased the boldness and courage of the designers. Each of the final silhouettes referenced the context of responsible fashion in an individual, very conscious way – starting with the choice of material, through strict control of its use, the use of upcycling methods, natural dyeing or the possibility of styling the completed designs in many ways – setting them in a broader cultural or trend dimension. In this edition of the competition, as every year, the designers impressed us with their creativity and commitment to creating collections that respect the environment – says Natalia Szydłowska-Magdziarz, Reserved’s product manager.

This year, the international jury selected ten finalists who were tasked with sewing one silhouette, using fabrics provided by LPP. The finished silhouettes were presented during the final gala at the Chopin Museum in Warsaw.

The designs included designs inspired by armour, stained glass or origami, fabric manipulation and the dyeing of materials with natural dyes, for example coffee. In the end, nine people showed their designs: Julia Bogacz, Anna Chilmon, Patrizia Ende, Weronika Kamińska, Paweł Krzyżak, Magdalena Kubacka, Anita Pisarek, Marta Sołoducha and the winner – Monika Marczak-Żynkin. The jury deemed her silhouette from the Shiro-Kuro collection, inspired by Japanese clothing, the best.

– The design by Monika Marczak-Żynkin definitely impressed the jury, and those present at the final gala the most. What impressed us, the jury, was its incredible completeness and coherence – from the concept itself, rooted in Japanese culture, through the beauty and simplicity of the form reminiscent of a kimono, the deliberate use of materials, very interesting structural details, great workmanship – both in construction and sewing, but also functionality and timelessness – emphasised Anna Sołtys, director of Reserved product office in Warsaw.

The silhouette prepared by the winner consisted of a coat with a cape, which can be a separate element to be used with other outfits. Marczak-Żynkin used cotton twill and recycled polyester satin in her design.

– My Shiro-Kuro collection (Japanese for ‘Black and White’) is functional in form, loosely inspired by elements of wafuku, traditional Japanese clothing and streetwear fashion. In my designs I try to present interesting design solutions – I am inspired by artists and masters such as Yohji Yamamoto, Issei Miyake and Tomoko Nakamichi. I also consider it crucial to create functional fashion. This is how I understand responsibility in fashion – to design and sew clothes that are not only visually impressive, but also comfortable and suitable to be worn every day. Winning the competition is an amazing experience – I’m happy that the jury recognised my silhouette and I cannot wait for the show at MSKPU’s graduation gala in September – stresses Monika Marczak-Żynkin, winner of the Responsible Fashion Awards.

The winner received PLN 10,000, fabrics for sewing the entire collection, a one-year scholarship at MSKPU (the International School of Costume and Fashion Design) and the opportunity to present her collection at the school’s graduation show in September 2024.

The work of the young designers was judged by a competition jury made up of specialists from the CSR industry, lecturers, journalists and representatives of the fashion world. LPP was represented by Anna Sołtys, director of the Reserved product office in Warsaw, and Natalia Szydłowska-Magdziarz, Reserved product manager.

– The RFA is the fulfilment of my long-held dream of a sustainability-focused competition. I am proud that together we have managed to continue the project without interruption, even during the pandemic. I hope that we have also created a strong DNA of the competition that attracts people focused on smart and conscious design. As it is our 5th birthday, I wish all past, present and future participants the best of luck. I want to once again thank the MSKPU and LPP team for their partnership to date and for the wonderful preparation of the anniversary edition – sums up Magdalena Płonka, director of the International School of Costume and Fashion Design and originator of the competition.

Photo. Jacek Kurnikowski/AKPA

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LPP is a Polish family-owned company, one of the most rapidly growing in the fashion industry in the Central European region. For the past 30 years, it has been successful in Poland and abroad, selling its collections in such prestigious capitals as London, Helsinki and Tel Aviv. LPP manages 5 fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito and Sinsay, with the product ranges now available for sale in shops and online, in nearly 40 markets worldwide. The company has nearly 2,400 shops with a total area of more than 2 million m2, and every year distributes clothing and accessories to 3 continents. LPP also has an important role in creating jobs for nearly 43,000 people in 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.