M. Patmos wins International Woolmark Prize in Beijing

EMERGING American designer Marcia Patmos has won Australia’s prestigious international wool prize in Beijing.

Victoria Beckham, right, a member of the judging panel, applauds International Woolmark Prize winner for womenswear Marcia Patmos, centre, during the grand final of the competition in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

EMERGING American designer Marcia Patmos has won Australia’s prestigious International Woolmark Prize for womenswear.

The high-profile awards were held in Beijing to pitch directly to China’s emerging consumer market.

Ms Patmos, whose label M. Patmos, was established four years ago, beat Australian duo Strateas. Carlucci, V Major from China, Germany’s Augustin Taboul and Bird on a Wire.

The finals was the culmination of a six-month search across 21 countries of more than 60 designers.

The high-profile judging panel consisted of Victoria Beckham, Vogue China editor Angelica Cheung, who has a strong following on mainland China, and Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani.

The winning collection, described as “sophisticated”, will now be stocked Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, David Jones and other retailers around the world from August.

Under the terms of the competition, the clothes must be produced using merino wool.

Ms Beckham said the winning portfolio used the wool well. “I felt that Patmos embodied best what the IWP stands for,” she said. “The collection was well executed and the concept interesting.”

Fashion commentator and judge Colin McDowell said the Patmos range was “elegant but young in spirit”.

Woolmark chief executive Stuart McCullough said the awards were held in China for the first time this year to capitalise on the emerging Chinese consumer and luxury retailing market.

It was also the first time in the IWP’s 50- year history that the menswear and womenswear categories were split. The Australian pair Strateas. Carlucci were finalists in both divisions.

China currently buys 80 per cent of Australia’s wool exports, valued at $1.94 billion.

Mr McCullough said Chinese consumers were buying and wearing more wool products, rather than the commodity just being processed into clothing made in China and sold offshore again.