Woolmark Prize, Donatella Versace awards 2025 winner Duran Lantik

The International Woolmark Prize 2025 returns to Milan with a new edition that focuses on research, sustainability and an international vision. Considered one of the most relevant awards for emerging talents in the fashion industry, the prize confirms itself as a launching platform and privileged observatory to understand the direction in which the fashion system is moving. The presidency of the jury is entrusted to Donatella Versace , who will accompany a group of high-profile experts in the evaluation of the finalists. The total prize money exceeds 780,000 Australian dollars , with the main winner receiving 300,000 dollars to develop their brand.

As per tradition, the key element remains Merino wool , valued not only for its technical properties, but also for its ability to adapt to very different design languages. The eight finalist collections reflect a transversal and updated vision of the concept of innovation: not only in terms of materials, but also in the construction of a coherent and conscious narrative identity. Among the selected projects, ACT N°1 stands out, founded by Luca Lin , which explores themes such as inclusiveness and multicultural identity, through a sophisticated use of drapes and natural dyes. The collection focuses on layered silhouettes and light fibers, in a balance between rigor and fluidity.

Diotima , an American brand led by Rachel Scott , has its roots in Jamaican artisanal savoir-faire. The use of wool crochet and the dialogue between hand-worked materials and contemporary tailoring outline a proposal that combines technique and delicacy. Sustainability is integrated into the production process through the direct involvement of local communities. Duran Lantink , from Amsterdam, brings to the competition a collection built on upcycling and three-dimensional workmanship. The approach is conceptual and often provocative, but supported by a high level of execution, which enhances the collaboration with specialized artisans and the use of regenerated materials.

More oriented towards the theme of size inclusivity is Ester Manas , who presents garments in elastic and almost transparent wool, designed to dress different bodies with naturalness. Louis-Gabriel Nouchi , on the other hand, reinterprets the work of George Orwell to propose a functional, technical wool, capable of translating tailoring and sportswear in a conceptual key. From New York comes LUAR by Raul Lopez , who works on a fluid and identity-based fashion, with elements such as seamless wool boots and transformable details. Meryll Rogge , from Belgium, instead focuses on structured shapes and composite materials to reinterpret formal aesthetics through advanced knitwear. The group closes with Standing Ground , an Anglo-Irish brand that combines sculptural drapes and low-energy impact techniques, exploring durability as a design value.

The jury, composed of Alessandro Sartori , IB Kamara , Law Roach , Simone Marchetti and Honey Dijon , among others, will evaluate not only the aesthetic quality of the collections, but also the responsible approach to production and the ability to build a sustainable business model over time. The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation , open for the first time to figures external to the group of finalists, broadens the field of observation towards the fashion system as a whole. In parallel, the Supply Chain Award recognizes the work of those who, behind the scenes, promote virtuous practices in the supply chain. The Woolmark Prize 2025 thus confirms its role not only as a prize, but as a tool for cultural orientation in a sector that urgently needs credible models, long-term visions and the ability to adapt. Wool, in this context, once again proves to be a strategic material: versatile, sustainable, contemporary.