Here are the seven finalists competing for the 2022 International Woolmark Prize

The International Woolmark Prize is one of the fashion industry’s greatest honours, highlighting and rewarding outstanding young designers ever since its inception in 1954. With Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, and Gabriela Hearst among its previous recipients, the prestigious award has a history of recognising, celebrating, and honing remarkable creative talent from across the globe. 

Each year, the design competition tasks the participants with a simple mission: to create a collection infused with Merino wool while highlighting its beauty, versatility, and adaptability. A commitment towards sustainable practices has been recurring in recent years, given it is the need of the hour. For 2022, the theme for the program is ‘Play’, a celebration of forward-thinking design and innovation. The finalists will be designing a Merino wool capsule collection comprising a total of six looks, while experimenting with textiles, design and business practices to drive change and innovation for a brighter future.

Shortlisted by an panel of expert industry members and The Woolmark Company from hundreds of applicants, the seven finalists for the 2022 Woolmark Prize are: Ahluwalia (United Kingdom), EGONlab (France), Jordan Dalah (Australia), Mmusomaxwell (South Africa), Peter Do (USA), Rui (China), and Saul Nash (United Kingdom). 

Each finalist will be granted AU$60,000 to conceptualise and create their six-look capsule collection using Australian merino wool, which will be presented at the final showdown next year. The finalists will also be supported by figures such as Holli Rogers, Chief Brand Officer, Farfetch; Sinéad Burke, Educator and Advocate; Sara Sozzani Maino, Head of Vogue Talents, Deputy Director Vogue Italia and Tim Blanks, Editor-at-Large, Business of Fashion, who belong to the program’s education and mentoring initiative.

One finalist will win the prize and receive AU$200,000 to invest in their label, along with industry mentorship and the opportunity to stock their collections in IWP retail partners such as Matches Fashion, SSENSE, Net-A-Porter. The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation will be awarded to another finalist, with the winner receiving AU$100,000.

In 2014, Rahul Mishra became the first Indian designer to win the coveted prize, followed by Suket Dhir in 2015 for menswear. Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice took home the grand prize in 2018, after showcasing a wool-focused womenswear collection - 80 per cent of which was created across five regions in India using traditional techniques, courtesy of the local artisans she worked with. Among this year’s finalists is Priya Ahluwalia, the London-based menswear designer of Nigerian and Indian descent who heads her namesake label.

Also read:

The Fashion Award winners of 2020 share their hopes for the future of the fashion industry

How social media is revolutionising the fashion industry all over again