Judging Panel Announced for Lingerie Design Contest
In this, the second year of the Triumph Inspiration Award (TIA) contest, students from 70 fashion and design schools from 28 countries all over the world are competing to create the very best conceptual showpiece set, comprising an underwired bra and brief, dedicated to the theme “Icons”.
With inspiration from the obvious to the unusual, reflecting the students’ passion for enhancing the female form with innovative designs and unexpected materials, 10 finalists from Central Saint Martins in London and 10 from De Montfort in Leicester will present their showpieces to the following panel of fashion specialists at a private judging in the afternoon:
Zandra Rhodes, Designer and Founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum
Immodesty Blaize, International showgirl and novelist who will be opening the museum’s new Undercover – the evolution of underwear exhibition
Dolly Jones, Editor VOGUE.COM
Savannah Miller, Creative Director Twenty8Twelve
Martyn Roberts, Director Vauxhall Fashion Scout
Jane Fenlon-Smith, Brand Manager Triumph UK
The winner will be announced that evening at the invitation-only preview party of “Undercover” the Fashion and Textile Museum’s new exhibition that traces the evolution of underwear. He or she then goes forward to represent the UK at the Triumph Inspiration Award ’09 grand final in Milan at the start of Milan Fashion Week on September 23rd.
In addition to a cash prize, the overall winner in Milan will see their showpiece adapted and interpreted by the Triumph design team and produced as a limited edition to be sold worldwide.
Midori Matsuo, age 20, from Japan was the winner of the Triumph Inspiration Award ’08, where the theme was “Female Fascination”. Her design arrives in Triumph stores throughout the UK this August.
A spokesman for Triumph told Lingerieblog.co.uk, “The Fashion and Textile Museum is the most appropriate venue we could ever have imagined to host the UK final of the Triumph Inspiration Award (TIA) 09 where we showcase young design talent. The Museum’s skilfully curated new exhibition is the perfect setting to display some of most beautiful and rarely seen vintage pieces helping to explore the history of underwear over the last century"
