One To Watch: H&M Design Award Winner

THE winner of the H&M Design Award 2012 is Stine Riis, a 28-year-old graduate from the London College of Fashion.

Stine presented her winning collection at a special catwalk show at Stockholm’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Her prize includes €50,000 and the chance to have around fifteen pieces from her collection sold in selected H&M stores in the UK and other European countries in September.

The winning collection named ‘Decadence & Decay’, featured polished, well-cut strict tailoring in contrasting materials including leather, wool, metallic and bonded fabrics.

Stine was chosen by a jury made up of fashion designer Christopher Kane, fashion journalists Hilary Alexander and Kristopher Arden Houser, fashion blogger Susie Lau, H&M’s creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch and H&M’s head of design, Ann-Sofie Johansson.

She said: “I am still overwhelmed. Showing at Stockholm’s Mercedes-Benz fashion week has been such a great experience. I can’t believe so many people came to see my collection. This award gives me the confidence and financial back-up I need to pursue my dream of building my own brand. I couldn’t have imagined a better start to my career as a designer.”

Watch Stine Riis winning the award in the video below:

The judges were said to be impressed with the maturity and modernity of her work.  

Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M Head of Design said: “It was such a sophisticated show, and such an exciting occasion. I am proud that Stine is the first winner of the H&M Design Award.”

The winning collection named ‘Decadence & Decay’, featured polished, well-cut strict tailoring in contrasting materials including leather, wool, metallic and bonded fabrics.

Fashion journalist Hilary Alexander said: “Her silhouette was lean but flowing, and particularly effective was her use of colour: a slim blue and orange bi-colour top, for example, or a blue coat stamped with white."

Set up to encourage and support the brightest young fashion talent, the H&M Design Award has seen graduates from fourteen colleges in six different countries compete first to be the local winner, and then go on to the grand prize jury.

For more about the H&M Design Award, please visit designaward2012.hm.com