The highly anticipated collection from the International Woolmark Prize winner Rahul Mishra launched in David Jones Sydney store on Tuesday 14 October.
“I feel like a storyteller,” Mishra told The Australian. “I enjoy the slowness of the process, I enjoy when a lot of stories get attached to one single product. It creates rather more happiness when you create that imperfect beauty.”
The six piece collection was selected from Mishra’s International Woolmark Prize-winning collection which was made of lightweight Merino wool featuring progressive hand embroidery on beautifully tailored and sculpturally designed pieces, including a cape-style jacket and fitted tube-style dress.
Inspired by the work of Danish artist Maurits Cornelis Escher, the graphically designed embroidery in the collection tells a story of the evolution from an eight-petal lotus, exploring the metamorphosis of the shape; which morphs into complex structures, representing the city landscape. The designs reflect the lifecycle of wool; the journey it takes from the organic land and its natural state, through to the concrete cities where it’s redesigned and reinvented.
Mishra, whose business is now in its seventh year, has a studio based in Delhi, India, but 450 of his 500 employees work in villages, weaving fabrics and creating his intricate embroideries.
Hailing from India, Mishra was awarded the coveted Woolmark Prize in February 2014 in Milan, after impressing an esteemed panel of judges including Alexa Chung, Tim Blanks, Franca Sozzani and Frida Giannini.
“I am thrilled to be stocked in some of the best retailers in the world thanks to The Woolmark Company,” explains Mishra. “It is going to be really great for our brand on the commercial front, getting into these stores is a dream for any designer. The international exposure since winning the award has been immense and has provided us global coverage like never before.”
The Rahul Mishra International Woolmark Prize collection will be stocked in Australia exclusively by David Jones, and will retail internationally in Harvey Nichols – London, Saks Fifth Avenue – New York, 10 Corso Como – Milan, Colette – Paris, Joyce – Hong Kong, Isetan Mitsukoshi – Japan and will be stocked online at mytheresa.com
“The judging panel in Milan were amazed by the skill and craftsmanship in Rahul’s collection,” explained Donna Player, Group Executive Merchandise David Jones. “He is well deserving of the recognition. We are very pleased to be presenting this unique collection which carries with it such a great story of success, to our customers at David Jones.”
The International Woolmark Prize crosses borders and cultures and has been revived for a new generation of emerging talent. It has quickly become one of the most coveted fashion awards of our time and continues to look at new ways to take wool into the future.
“The International Woolmark Prize is an ongoing commitment by The Woolmark Company,” explains The Woolmark Company Managing Director Stuart McCullough. “It is a commitment to the finest emerging talent in fashion design right across the world and a commitment to celebrating the infinite potential of Merino wool.
“The award highlights how innovative Merino wool is and Rahul Mishra’s winning collection is a fine example of this. Having retail partners such as David Jones support the award and commercialise the product encourages emerging talent and reaffirms the Woolmark brand’s deep connection with the international fashion industry.”