To raise awareness about viscose as an alternative fabric and support emerging fashion designers, Ekman & Co and the Swedish Fashion Council, together with contributing partners launched the Challenge the Fabric (CTF) Award. The CTF Award is an initiative to engage emerging design talents to explore viscose, its versatile application and characteristics. In addition, the CTF Award is aiming to open up the dialogue on viscose across fashion disciplines and influence the textile and fiber industry to improve the manufacturing processes of the fabric.

Ten nominated designers were challenged to design looks made from viscose, with the final being held September 13th 2018 at London Fashion Week.

At London Fashion Week six finalists presented a selection of BA graduation and newly designed viscose looks at the CTF Show, and thereby represented some of the most prestigious fashion universities around the world. The finalists were: Harry Freegard of London’s Central St Martins, Brandon Wen of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Christine-Marie Valtonen of Helsinki’s Aalto University, Anna Bernal of Arnhem’s ArtEZ, Elena Velez of New York’s Parsons School and Paolo Carzana of London’s University of Westminster. A complementary exhibition presented the viscose looks of Zhenyuan Yang, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Yiyuan Sun of Shanghai’s Donghua University as well as, Kajsa Willumsen, The Swedish School of Textiles, Borås.

The prominent jury of the award included Penny Martin, editor in chief of The Gentlewoman, the people behind the popular Instagram account Diet Prada, Jo Barker, editor in chief of Re-Edition, fashion designer Ann-Sofie Back, Tiffany Godoy creative director of The Reality Show, rapper and member of gravity boys, Ecco2K and founder of the fashion brand Vyner Articles, Heikki Salonen. The winner received the CTF Award designed by Jenny Nordberg, along with €30,000. 

In addition to the fashion show, a panel discussion will took place, moderated by Rebecca Earley, Professor Sustainable Fashion Textile Design and co-founder of the Centre for Circular Design, in which experts discuss viscose and highlight how to sustain fashion through developments in the fabric sector.

The winner of the CTF Award 2018 was Brandon Wen.