A new hybrid fashion challenges designers nowadays: how can you design variety instead of uniformity, collages instead of decals, flexible offers instead of rigid styles and still create a clear design statement? That is the task of our European Fashion Award FASH 09 with the
topic "New Diversity".

More than 420 schools in 20 countries are invited to participate in the competition that is addressed to particularly gifted design students of all creational disciplines in the fourth semester or higher. In a second category, graduates can take part.

Registration deadline is 16 June 2008, submission deadline is 3 November 2008. Due to the renewed timing, universities can work on this project within one semester. Please find the detailed call for entries and an application form at www.sdbi.de.

A jury composed of internationally experienced experts from design, industry, marketing, media and commerce will select the prizewinners according to set criteria. “We are very glad to welcome Jean Kress, Head of Design, Quiksilver Europe, Biarritz, and Martin Leuthold, Art Director Jakob Schlaepfer, St. Gallen, as new members of the Foundation Advisery Board. Besides that, we highly appreciate the consent of Clara Leskovar, c.neeon, Berlin, and Wolfgang König, Head of Buying of Loden-Frey, Munich, to support our jury", says Project Manager Joachim Schirrmacher.

The total prize money amounts to 10,000 euros as well as three fabric vouchers worth 4.500 euros in total donated by the Swiss Textile Federation. In addition, paid six-month internships at Akris in St. Gallen (Switzerland) and Craft in Borås (Sweden) will be awarded.
All prizewinners will be exhibited during ispo winter 09 from 1 - 4 February 2009 and will present themselves in a catalog and a fashion show addressing the international fashion retail and media.

The European Fashion Award FASH is presented annually by the Stiftung der Deutschen Bekleidungsindustrie (German Fashion Industry Foundation) – SDBI. It was honored by the location initiative of German government and business world “Germany – Land of Ideas”, as a “Selected Landmark 2008”. The Foundation was founded by fashion entrepreneur Klaus Steilmann in 1978. The objective of the foundation is sustained promotion of young talents.

More information
www.sdbi.de

Media requests and pictures:
Joachim Schirrmacher
Project Manager/Chairman of the Advisory Board Organisation
T +49 40 25 31 88 60
schirrmacher@sdbi.de