IoDF’s Design Competition Spotlights ‘Real Leather,’ Biofabricate Summit: Short Takes
The Leather Look: A partnership between the Institute of Digital Fashion, or IoDF, and advocacy organization “Real Leather. Stay Different” captures continued momentum in materials in its just-announced International Student Design Competition 2022.
Interested designers are tasked with creating a design (with leather constituting at least 50 percent of it) in the category of either clothing, footwear or accessories. Entrants are encouraged to use natural materials, save for furs and exotic skins, which are outside of the competition’s focus.
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According to IoDF, judging criteria centers around one or more attributes of leather, be it aesthetics (such as hand or drape) or performance properties like strength and durability. Judges include Christopher Koerber, managing director of Hugo Boss Ticino; Rosie Wollacott Phillips, group sustainability manager of Mulberry; celebrity fashion stylist Mike Adler, and the 2021 winner and FIT graduate, Emily Omesi. IoDF’s cofounders, Leanne Elliott Young and Cattytay, will also sit as judges at the global final.
“Pushing technology as a solution to not just sell more clothes, but to disrupt the way the system concepts, produces, creates and educates is core to the work we deliver at IoDF,” said Leanne Elliott Young, IoDF’s cofounder and CEO. “Teaching these 3D-making skills are integral, our work is rooted deeply in creating an opportunity for further social discourse on fashion’s [future] and supporting in democratizing digital, especially toward the talent of the future. Working with Real Leather. Stay Different on this project has brought to light the importance of education and making digital fashion more accessible.”
Stephen Sothmann, who heads the Real Leather campaign, said the competition aims to “spark the interest” of young designers to work with real leather and embrace digital tool kits to do so.
While competition entries will be designed digitally or “on paper” first, each winning design (from each category) will be professionally made into physical garments from responsibly sourced leather and displayed at the global final in London. As part of the prize package, IoDF will also create a digital asset of the apparel category winner’s work, enabling digital try-on for users in a custom AR experience.
Prospective designers can apply online at Artsthread.com to the open call now through June 30.
Biofabrications Galore: Meanwhile, some 30 biomaterial innovators are making their cases for next-gen materials at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for the Biofabricate Summit being held June 6 and 7.
The event is in sponsorship with Parley for the Oceans and event space Newlab, where the summit will be held.
Innovations from Modern Synthesis (bacterial nanocellulose), MycoTex (compostable mushroom), MycoWorks (behind Hermès’ Sylvania bag), TandemRepeat (yarn derived from squid DNA) and Pangaia (tapping wildflower, eucalyptus and seaweed innovations) will be on display in addition to panel programming.
Biofabricate was founded by Suzanne Lee, a biomaterial innovator who coined the term “biocouture” and has been drafting partnerships with the likes of Parley for the Oceans, TED and other industry incubators.
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