Picking A Winner
Italian designer Eleonora Falcone has won the Shein X Global Challenge 2024, beating 1,000 competitors from more than 70 countries and taking home 10,000 euros in prize money.
The challenge is part of Shein's incubator program, and this was the first year that the global e- commerce giant made a callout for global submissions.
Applicants' collections were initially voted on by members of the public, while a panel of judges shortlisted 10 designers and then made the final pick.
The theme this year was “Radiance,” and Falcone won for her womenswear collection, which she called “Glowmantic.”
“All of us on the judging panel were heartened to see so many submissions by female designers this year, and that [ women] topped the list with nine finalists,” said Julien Fournié, one of the judges.
He added that Falcone's drive to succeed “was clearly evident, as was her ability to decipher the theme, and translate it into what will clearly be a popular collection."
The 10 finalists were judged based on their ability "to translate a strong, original concept into design, while balancing customer demands, seasonal trends and commercial viability,” according to Shein.
They also had a chance to take part in a masterclass hosted by the judges and workshops on sustainable fashion before they presented their submissions in the final round.
The winner, and the other nine finalists, will become part of the Shein X Designer Incubator Program, which launched in 2021, and offers up- andcoming talents the chance to design, manufacture and sell their collections under the Shein umbrella.
Participating designers are given a percentage of the profits from each piece sold and are featured as a Shein X designer on the site to further promote their collection alongside inspirations and backgrounds.
The program launched with seven designers and, to date, Shein has worked with 4,600 talents who've made 41,000 original designs.
Molly Miao, Shein's chief marketing officer, said Falcone's “flair for design, technical skills and understanding of commercial viability already positions her as an excellent fashion designer. We expect great demand for the
'Glowmantic' collection when it goes live on Shein sites around the world.”
Other winners included Juliana Cavalcanti di Siqueira from Brazil, who took home the Creativity Award, and Japan's Yuto Nomura, who nabbed the Next Gen Award. Fungai Sarah Muzoroza of the U. K. won the Style Award.
They each banked 5,000 euros, while the remaining six finalists took home with 3,000 euros each.
Last September,
Shein revealed that an additional $ 50 million will be committed toward the Shein X Designer Incubator Program. This additional funding will bring the company's total investment into the Shein X Designer Incubator Program to $ 105 million until 2028.
The Shein X Global Challenge 2024 judges included Adrien Roberts, International Fashion Education consultant, Italy; Fournié, founder of Julien Fournié Haute Couture, Paris; Jill Wanless, a U. K.based editor, and Colin Horgan, an independent designer based in Ireland.
— SAMANTHA CONTI
Five Times Rad
Over the past two years L. A. designer Lizzie Grover Rad has courted controversy with her collections, building her brand on sparking conversation around hot- button issues like reproductive rights ( season one); the billionaire space race ( season two); body modification and the pursuit of beauty ( season three), and corporate greed ( season four).
For her fifth collection, she's turned her attention to America's complex and contradictory drug history, and its connection to racism, from the widespread use of morphine in the 19th century to the crackdown on opium dens in Chinatowns, the use of LSD therapy to the war on drugs.
"I wanted to research the history of drug laws in America, which is very complex," said the designer, showing her collection on the rack at her Bel Air home, including a stretchy button- down ruched dress in a purple haze print that tricks the eye, a silk side-tie apron top with a charming cannabis flower print, and a oversized T- shirt emblazoned with text from the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act.
A cotton poplin vest and pants set covered in a subtle black- and-white scribble print of formulas was inspired by Albert Hofmann's discovery of LSD, which was used for mental health treatment before it was made illegal during the 1960s. A color- blocked silk bias cut dress in a collage print features a photo of Billie Holiday, among other images, referencing how the "Strange Fruit" singer was pursued by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and its racist commissioner Harry Anslinger.
"He had it out for all the jazz singers," she said. "There's so much focus on the Reagan era and the war on drugs, but it started much earlier, and Harry Anslinger was the beginning."
Rad has been interested in the topic since she was in college and took a course titled "Deviance in Society," she said.
"It was interesting to learn about LSD and how long it was used in therapy before it was outlawed because of the hippies and the counterculture movement...I'm a big believer in the power of psychedelic therapy and I think it would help so many people," she said, also acknowledging the downside of drugs and drug policy, including addiction, violence and mass incarceration.
The designer has developed several signature styles, including denim, stretch mesh tops and dresses, and a showstopping opera coat on which she showcases seasonal artwork. This collection also featured red “Candyman” pills and orange poppy field prints. Prices range from $220 to $2400.
Sold direct-to- consumer through the designer's website, the brand has doubled sales every season, and Rad is not thinking about partnering with a retailer just yet.
"I like being at DTC prices, which are approachable," said the designer, who creates two collections a year. Her customer base has expanded outside of California, she said. "There's a wide range from all over the country."
— BOOTH MOORE
Award Winners
The Accessories Council has revealed the 2024 class of honorees for the Accessories Council Excellence Awards, taking place May 7 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
“As the Accessories Council celebrates its landmark 30th anniversary, we could not be prouder to recognize such a versatile group of outstanding designers and leading creatives breaking boundaries in our industry at the upcoming ACE Awards," said Accessories Council president and chief executive officer Karen Giberson. "This year's class of honorees includes some of the most iconic names in fashion and design, as well as emerging artists that have raised the bar on how consumers view and shop for accessories for years to come."
Honorees include Prabal Gurung for Designer of the Year; Coach for Brand of the Year; Linda Fargo, senior vice president of the fashion office and director of women's fashion of Bergdorf Goodman for Style Icon; Fern Mallis for Hall of Fame; Dana Covarrubias, costume designer on Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building" for Style Influencer, and Larroudé for Rising Star.
"So many things have changed for the Accessories Council since it was founded in 1994 — but the mission has remained the same and that is to help our members thrive,"
Giberson said of the council's 30th anniversary, reporting that the council's membership is at an alltime high. "Over the years we have added events like The Design Excellence Awards; supported legislative issues such as tariffs/ material usage/ sustainability; incorporated mentoring programs, press events; acquired Ac Magazine, and incorporated many regional events — to name a few."
Additional awards at the black-tie event will be given for Design Innovation, Legacy Award, Operational Excellence, Retailer of the Year and Specialty Retailer. Sponsors of The 2024 ACE Awards include Aria Logistics, Nordstrom, Marchon, A VSP Global Company, EssliorLuxottica, FashionGo, Informa, Judith Leiber Couture, MercedesBenz Manhattan, Oracle NetSuite, Safilo, Signal Brands, Steve Madden and The Jewelry Group.
New Board Members
Rhone has added two new members to its board: Tess Roering, a former executive at CorePower Yoga and Athleta, and Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN chairman. They join Nate Checketts, cofounder and chief executive officer of the menswear brand; his father Dave Checketts, managing partner of Checketts Partners Investment Fund; Jon Owsley, managing partner at L Catterton; Simon
Hill- Norton, cofounder of Sweaty Betty, and Carras
Holmstead, investment partner at Palistar Capital.
“As we prepare to launch our women's collection, Tess brings incredible expertise in brand and marketing from her time at Athleta and CorePower Yoga and Jimmy is a top industry thought leader that brings unmatched experience in sports and consumer products industries,” said Nate Checketts. “The addition of Tess and Jimmy will help bring us to new heights in 2024 and beyond.”
Roering served most recently as chief commercial officer of CorePower
Yoga, where she doubled the company's number of studios and drove revenue growth. She was also instrumental in the brand's sale by L Catterton to TSG Partners. Before CorePower Yoga, she was Athleta's firstever head of marketing.
As chairman of ESPN, Pitaro manages and supervises the company's full portfolio of sports content, products and experiences. During his tenure, the network signed creative rights agreements with the NFL, UFC, SEC,
NHL, MLB, PGA Tour, NCAA, La Liga, Wimbledon and others. Before ESPN,
Pitaro worked in various leadership positions across ESPN's parent company, The Walt Disney Company, including as chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. He also served as head of media for Yahoo.
As reported, Rhone is preparing to launch its first full women's collection in May. The company was founded in 2014 as a performance menswear brand. — JEAN E. PALMIERI