The International Woolmark Prize, a leading incubation program fostering and celebrating exceptional talents, is showcasing the beauty and versatility of natural fibers with their annual awards program. The program’s 18-month cycle includes education, mentorship, networking opportunities, early-stage funding, and a global wool supply chain access. The Australian founded organization has been a benchmark for fashion designers and artists around the world.

The International Woolmark Prize (IWP) is awarding winners from an eclectic group of finalists who have displayed a great deal of refinement in their sartorial language as fashion designers. The finalists include brands Bethany Williams and Matty Bovan from the United Kingdom, Kenneth Ize from Nigeria, Thebe Magugu from South Africa, Casablanca representing France, and Lecavalier from Canada.

Musician and creative mind, Solange Knowles, and her studio Saint Heron are collaborating with the IWP and producing a digital presentation celebrating the finalists' work with visuals and a hero film titled “Passage,” as a part of the full creative rollout. Knowles and Saint Heron’s film features music legend Dionne Warwick, Pose actor Dominique Jackson, and rapper SahBabii to name a few.

This will be Solange's first film in 2 years, working in collaboration with artist-filmmaker Wu Tsang, as well as performance artist Tosh 'Boychild' Basco.

The International Woolmark Prize has awarded fashion legends like the late Karl Lagerfeld, formerly at Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent in 1954. This list also includes Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, and Ralph Lauren. These designers have paved the roads that lead to the top fashion houses in the world. Winning the International Woolmark Prize award affords the resources to create meaningful collections, and invests in sustainable processes that these designers can use to propel their brand’s success. 

Bode founder and creative director, Emily Adams Bode, has known the success and how it helps in the manufacturing process for these smaller fashion houses. Bode would ultimately pique the interest of the broader fashion markets after Adams Bode was the 2020 Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation winner.

Adams Bode says, "They have opened up doors to the best wool suppliers in the world. Woolmark lets us pair with these smaller mills that have traceable and certified sustainable yarns. To have a really clear view of where your materials are coming from and transparency on that, that's sustainable.” This year's finalists can expect to be able to have the same experience in resources and education for business growth.

Each designer has developed their lines in the most efficient ways with limited resources. They have many aspirations in achieving their creative visions as fashion designers. The International Woolmark Prize is the only major prize to focus on product innovation and creation, advancing fashion businesses for conscious fashion labels, based on ethical practices and a sustainable future.

See the full film here.