Daily Front Row

2010 November 5

Mary Katrantzou Wins the Swiss Textile Award

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Mary Katrantzou
Panos Davis View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Jason Wu, Duro Olowu, Adam Kimmel, Juun J and Damir Doma—it was stiff competition this year, but last night, Mary Katrantzou was named the winner to the Swiss Textile Award, an honor that last year went to Alexander Wang and Rodarte the year before. Katrantzou will take the prize of €100,000 (about $140,000 at current exchange rates), €10,000 of which will be used in the purchase of Swiss textiles. "The financial support is amazing at a stage when the business is growing and it's so important to have that support,” Katrantzou told Vogue UK. “It's a very prestigious award, it's a benchmark and a great honour…It was such a big build up and I cried backstage so I think that says it all.”

Katrantzou, who studied textiles at Central St. Martins, told The Daily back in August that she once thought textiles alone would be her trade. “I came from a textile background, so I never thought I was going to go into fashion,” she said. “I thought I was going to prep my portfolio and try to get a job in textiles at a fashion house. Then in May [before graduating St. Martins], I was surrounded by womenswear designers, and I started to think it was possible. I met Sarah Mower and she was really supportive, and it was though her that I applied for New Gen. I thought, why not give it a try? [Laughs] Sarah said, you have to be much more serious about it—you can’t just give it a go!”

Katrantzou’s Spring 2011 collection, inspired by interiors, has garnered critical acclaim and—perhaps just as important—has already been seen in full straight-from-the-runway glory on Anna Dello Russo. And though Katrantzou is only four seasons in, she has big plans ahead. “Originally, because of my background in textiles, I wanted to grow into more of a lifestyle brand, like a Pucci or Missoni,” she told The Daily. “But you have to take other things into account, like having something as a concept every season and keeping it commercial. I’m interested in growing and establishing it as it is now, and maybe doing a special jewelry collection. Yes, I’d say jewelry, maybe starting on a cruise collection, and then I’m sure there are many surprises in store. You know, I never thought I’d be doing this three years ago!”
EMILY GYBEN