First Global Denim Awards announces winner

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Nov 5, 2014

The Global Denim Awards seems to have encouraged designers to exploit denim’s great degree of versatility. Organized to coincide with the Kingpins’ Amsterdam trade show, the competition’s first edition saw six competing designers employ denim (and other materials) in very diverse ways.

As part of the competition, teams composed of one designer and one denim producer vie for the top spot.

In the end, the Dutchman Jonathan Christopher, who works as both a freelancer and on his own collection, captivated the jury (Adriano Goldschmied, Rene Strolenberg, Norma Quinto and Jason Denham) with his collaboration with the Italian manufacturer Denim ITV. He took home a 10,000-euro prize.

Other teams included Fernanda Fernandes, who teamed up with the Spaniards at Tejidos Royo, and Anneloes van Osselaer, who works for Only, and who employed fabric by Prosperty Textile.

British designer Bhavesh Samji collaborated with Turkish company Orta Anadolu, while Stefano Ughetti worked with Italian producer Candiani Denim. The final duo in the running was an all-Turkish team made up of Gizem Turan and manufacturer Bossa. 

The event and shows were held at Denim City, Amsterdam’s brand new denim innovation campus.