"After the success of last year’s Wool Runway, a design challenge for university students, The Woolmark Company successfully completed the second edition on a high note. Envisioned as a celebration of tertiary fashion designers, the competition also educated young designers on working with Merino wool. Leading fashion universities, NIFT (Mumbai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Shillong, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Patna and Kolkata), NID (Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar) and Pearl Academy (Mumbai, Delhi- Noida, Naraina and Jaipur) participated, educating more than 700 students on the benefits and versatility of Merino wool."

After the success of last year’s Wool Runway, a design challenge for university students, The Woolmark Company successfully completed the second edition on a high note. Envisioned as a celebration of tertiary fashion designers, the competition also educated young designers on working with Merino wool. Leading fashion universities, NIFT (Mumbai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Shillong, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Patna and Kolkata), NID (Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar) and Pearl Academy (Mumbai, Delhi- Noida, Naraina and Jaipur) participated, educating more than 700 students on the benefits and versatility of Merino wool. Another 84 students participated in the competition.

A panel of industry influencers judged the final designs. The judges include designers Rahul Mishra and Nachiket Barve; menswear designer, Dhruv Kapoor; Mehernaaz Dhondy, Editor, Grazia India; Ermenegildo Zegna, Head – marketing, Diesel; Surabhi Negi, Head – marketing, Bally; and Arti Gudal, Country Manager India, The Woolmark Company. All the designs were evaluated on a strict criteria that included the use of at least 80 per cent wool per outfit, garment construction, overall presentation and more.

Displaying an eclectic mix of finalists’ designs as live installations, participants presented outfits that were an exploration of the versatile nature of Merino wool with their signature aesthetics. Ravi Manil Prakash won the Wool Runway, Abhinav Tyagi was the 1st Runner Up and Nikita Chhajer and Saachi Khattar were jointly announced as the 2nd Runner Up.

The start

The students’ journey started in August 2017 where final-year design students of leading fashion institutes were given Wool Appreciation Courses. After submitting their designs online, 14 top finalists were selected by mentor Gautam Vazirani, Fashion Curator, IMG Reliance and their respective counsellors from each institute. The finalists then designed and constructed one wool garment for the finale. “The designs were a breath of fresh air and it was amazing to see the efforts the students have put in to showcase Merino Wool at its finest.” explained Arti Gudal. “We have always believed in educating consumers on the benefits of Merino, and Wool Runway does that at a student level. It has been our constant effort to promote budding talent and give them the chance to explore possibilities in the industry while working with Merino wool. We are excited to see how the Wool Runway experience will enrich and develop the students’ careers.”

Award-winning Designer Rahul Mishra said, “I have always been honoured to associate with The Woolmark Company as they have been an essential part of my journey as a designer. Wool Runway has given me a chance to share my learning and experience in working with the intricacies of Merino wool. The fibre itself is absolutely versatile and the different dimensions that the students have added to it with their techniques is great to see. It is a great initiative and I have thoroughly enjoyed judging the wonderful talent and understanding their inspiration and the thought process behind their designs.”

Designer Nachiket Barve added, “Wool Runway is an enriching design and learning platform for aspiring students as they challenge their ability and gain recognition for their work. It has been fascinating to see how the students have managed to hero a natural fibre like Merino wool in their garments and have maximized its potential to present garments that have a balance of design aesthetic, quality and comfort. They are definitely on their way to becoming Gen Next talent!”

“It is a remarkable competition for students who want to further their understanding in the field of fashion and design through the study of Merino wool,” highlighted Dhruv Kapoor. “I have seen numerous innovative designs while judging and have noticed that the competition has exposed students to the range of roles and career paths available within the wool industry.”