(SYDNEY) 1 March 2024
Today, IMG announced the four winners of Next Gen 2024, Australian Fashion Week’s emerging designer program, presented by DHL. The winning designers will debut their collections on Monday, 13 May at 11am in Sydney.
Natalie Xenita, Vice President-Managing Director of IMG Fashion Events and Properties, Asia-Pacific said: “We’re excited to announce this year’s talented Next Gen winners who were selected for their pursuit of creativity and innovation. The program creates opportunities for emerging designers to establish and scale their business through Australian Fashion Week’s global platform. I’d like to thank our esteemed panel of international judges for their contribution in determining this year’s winners and our partner DHL for their ongoing support of Australian fashion’s leading emerging designer showcase.”
IMG’s 2024 Next Gen winners include:
- Amy Lawrance: Amy Lawrance’s eponymous label was founded in Melbourne in 2020. At the crux of the label is a profound veneration of craftsmanship accompanied by a celebration of love, escapism, and storytelling through the medium of clothing. Working with a concise material palette of un-dyed silks and favouring clean, purposeful detail, her pieces are thoughtfully designed and produced with minimal waste
- Emily Watson: Emily Watson is a demi-couture swim and resort wear label from Melbourne focused on the intertwining of swimwear and avant-garde design practices characterized by an abundance of ruffles, ties, and patchwork bikinis.
- House of Campbell: Established in 2019 by Adelaide-based designer, Abby Potter, House of Campbell celebrates contemporary femininity by blending traditional couture techniques with prêt-à-porter fashion. With a focus on Australian made, House of Campbell designs are daring, intricate, and joyful, offering bold tulle ensembles and detail-driven tailoring.
- Potirakis: Established in 2021, Potirakis is a brand committed to designing innovative luxury clothing while simultaneously delivering high quality and effective military grade performance garments. Contrast is the foundation of the label’s design philosophy, highlighting the complexity between fine art and functionality, taking inspiration simultaneously from both the high-class white-collar lifestyle and global heavy industries.
Established in 1996 with the goal of identifying Australia’s emerging designers, Next Gen has helped discover and launch the careers of top industry names including Akira, Anna Quan, BEC + BRIDGE, CAMILLA AND MARC and sass & bide, among others.
The Next Gen prize is valued at over $100,000 and includes runway show production by IMG FOCUS., a content package including runway photography and livestream, and international shipping credits provided by DHL. The four winning designers also receive industry networking opportunities, exposure to Australian Fashion Week’s attending buyers, and invaluable marketing, publicity, digital and social media support to reach a global audience.
To determine the winners, IMG assembled a prestigious panel of global industry experts, including GQ Deputy Editorial Director and British GQ Head of Editorial Content Adam Baidawi, Vogue Australia Fashion Features Director Alice Birrell, IMG Model Aweng Chuol, David Jones General Manager womenswear, footwear and accessories Bridget Veals, RUSSH Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jess Blanch, NET-A-PORTER Market Director Libby Page, Vogue contributor Luke Leitch, Song for the Mute designers Lyna Ty and Melvin Tanaya, Stylist and Fashion Consultant Kim Russell, Marie Claire Australia Fashion Director Naomi Smith, Mob in Fashion founder Nathan McGuire, and Harper’s Bazaar Fashion News Director and WWD Correspondent Patty Huntington.
Australian Fashion Week presented by Pandora is an IMG event supported by the New South Wales Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW. In addition to Destination NSW and DHL, Australian Fashion Week is made possible through the support of Official Partners Pandora, Allpress, American Express, BYHEALTH, City of Sydney, David Jones, eBay, Glenfiddich, Porsche, Redken, S.Pellegrino, Satellite, Shark Beauty, Simply Seated, SKYE Suites, The Volte, and Wynns Coonawarra Estate.
Australian Fashion Week presented by Pandora will take place 13 – 17 May 2024 at Carriageworks, Sydney and at australianfashionweek.com, where fashion fans can stream Australian Fashion Week’s runway shows and programming live. Followers can also experience the best of Australian Fashion Week by following @ausfashionweek across Instagram and Facebook and @AUSFW on TikTok and Twitter and through the official event hashtag #australianfashionweek.