ANDAM announces finalists for its 2011 Fashion Award

Design by Jeremy Laing

The finalists for the prestigious ANDAM Fashion Awards 2011 have now been announced after reviewing 45 applications received this year. The judging panel consited of 22 influential people including ANDAM’s private partners including Pierre Bergé, representing the Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint-Laurent Foundation and fashion professionals:
Hilary Alexander, director of the fashion department, The Daily Telegraph
Emmanuelle Alt, editor in chief, Vogue Paris
Nathalie Dufour, founder and general director, ANDAM
Pamela Golbin, head curator, Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Humberto Leon, co-owner, Opening Ceremony
Sarah Lerfel, purchasing and creative director, colette
Virginie Mouzat, fashion journalist, Le Figaro
Nicole Phelps, executive editor, Style.com
Jean-Jacques Picart, consultant in fashion and luxury products
Katell Pouliquen, head of fashion department, L’Express Styles
Clarisse Reille, managing director, DEFI
Jean-Pierre Simon, director in charge of plastic arts, Ministry of Culture
Ralph Toledano, consultant
Valérie Toranian, editorial director, Elle

The six finalists have been selected:

Adam Kimmel
After graduating from NYU with a degree in architecture in 2001, Adam Kimmel (born 1979) moved to Italy to learn tailoring and pattern making. He launched his first collection in 2005. This year the Carhartt label has commissioned Kimmel to create its new capsule collection. www.adamkimmel.com.

Anthony Vaccarello
After graduating with honors from the La Cambre School, Anthony Vaccarello (born 1980) won the Grand Prix of the Hyères Fashion Festival in 2006. After working alongside Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi, he created his first collection in January 2009 and has been showing on the Paris women’s ready-to-wear calendar since then. anthonyvaccarello.blogspot.com.

Commuun
Having worked respectively with Anne-Valérie Hash and Balenciaga, Iku Furudate (born 1976) and Kaito Hori (1977) joined forces in 2005 to found the Commuun label. Their first runway show was very favorably received and their philosophy based on respect, nature and quality won them the ANDAM Award in 2007. www.commuun.com.

Jeremy Laing
A graduate of Ryerson University in Toronto, Jeremy Laing (born 1979) honed
his skills alongside Alexander McQueen for five seasons before founding his own label in 2005. Based in Canada, he shows his collections during Fashion Week in New York. www.jeremylaing.com.

Palmer//Harding
Matthew Harding (born 1984) studied at Central Saint Martins in London, where he met Levi Palmer (born 1981) in 2007. Their collaborative collection, presented during London’s Fashion Week in February 2010, was widely praised in the international press and subsequently stocked by the UK retailer Topshop. After graduation the two designers founded the Palmer//Harding label in January 2011.

Yiqing Yin
A Franco-Australian designer of Chinese origin, Yiqing Yin (born 1985) graduated from the ENSAD decorative arts school in Paris in September 2009. A few months later she won the City of Paris Grand Prix de la Création and was asked to participate in the Hyères Festival. She showed her first collection in September 2010 and is currently in the process of setting up operations in France. www.yiqingyin.com.

The winner will not only receive ANDAM fellowship but also an in-kind donation from Swarovski of crystals up to the value of €10,000 to be used in the creation of the winner’s SS12 collection. They will also receive mentorship for two consecutive seasons by Ralph Toledano, who will advise the winner in his or her creative, corporate and commercial development and finally, from Galeries Lafayette, the use of the department store’s “La Suite” space for the installation of a showroom.

www.andam.fr