Handbag
Designer 101, announced the winners of the third annual Independent Handbag
Designer Awards which were held on June 17th, at the New York Historical
Society. The award winners are: Best Student Made Handbag – Rachel Esswood
for Rachel Esswood, Best Handmade Handbag – Alexis Campagna for
Antebellum, HBD101 s Audience Fan Favorite – Adriana Castro for Adriana
Castro, Best Green Handbag –Andres Stickney for DRES, Most Socially
Responsible Handbag – Cherry Kwunyeun for Blumpari,
Best Use of Swarovski
Crystallized(™) Elements - Lorna
Nixon for Lorna Nixon,
Best Shoe in Overall Style and Design - Raphael
Young for Raphael Young, Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design – Alice
Tapajos for Zibba. Lulu Guinness received the ICONOCLAST Award in Handbag
Design at this event. Lulu Guinness changed the landscape of whimsical accessory
design.
New York, NY - June 18, 2009 --
Handbag Designer 101 announced the winners of the Third Annual Independent
Handbag Designer Awards which were held on June 17th, at the New York Historical
Society. The Independent Handbag Designer Awards provides an opportunity for
handbag designers to break into the notoriously competitive accessory industry.
Designers of the most creative handbags squared off against one another with 7
awards given for Handbag Design Excellence. The pressure was on and creativity
took over as the contenders designed competing handbags for the
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their work among their peers in New York
City, the fashion capital of the world with over 400 members of the fashion
industry, including press and retailers in attendance. To view the IHDA Winners
at a glance, go to:
http://www.hbd101.com/awards/winners_2009
Celebrated British designer Lulu
Guinness will receive the IHDA ICONOCLAST Award this year for her 20 years in
accessories design. Lulu Guinness famous for her exquisite, witty handbags and
accessories originally launched her company in 1989 and instantly became a
"must" in every fashion aficionado's international address book.
Handbag Designer 101 - the handbag
designer resource (www.handbagdesigner101.com), is a hotspot website where
handbag designers, aficionados and experts unite to find undiscovered handbags
by independent designers; learn about the latest handbag trends; see the
handbags that celebrities are wearing today; find out about the latest handbag
shopping events and learn about jobs and services of the accessories industry
and market. The brainchild of Yasmena and Yazzy Bag creator and handbag designer
consultant, Emily Blumenthal, Handbag Designer 101 bridges the gap between
designer handbag fan blogs and high-fashion websites.
"We were thrilled by the overwhelming
response we received for the third year. After receiving 700 applicants and then
narrowing it down to 35 finalists and at last to have these 8 amazing winners,
it is clear that they represent the future of handbags and now shoes." says
Blumenthal. "The consumer public is still very hungry for creativity and
innovation especially in this market and being responsible for finding the next
“IT” bag and shoe designer is something very exciting for us to own. We are
looking forward to years to come to find the next global talent wherever he or
she might be."
WINNERS AT A GLANCE:
• Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design: Best Executed Handbag in
Overall Style and Design, Presented by Lincoln Moore, DMM, Handbags, Saks Fifth
Avenue
Alice Tapajos
for Zibba
• Best Shoe in Overall Style and
Design: Best Executed Shoe in Overall Style and Design, Presented by Libby
Edelman, Vice-President of Edelman and Tina Aldatz, President of Foot Petals.
Raphael Young for Raphael Young,
www.raphaelyoung.com
• Best Handmade Handbag:
Designer makes bag him or herself, by hand or machine, Presented by Katie
Boertman, Trade Marketing Manager for the Singer Sewing Company
Alexis Campagna for Antibellum
• Best Use of Swarovski
Crystallized™ - Elements: Best Executed Handbag utilizing Swarovski
Crystallized Elements, Presented by Oliver Bootman, Director of Market Segments
Management for Swarovski North America
Lorna Nixon for Lorna Nixon
• Best Student-Made Handbag:
Students who have successfully started their lines while still in school,
Presented by Devi Kroell, CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell
Rachel Esswood for Rachel Esswood,
www.rachelesswood.com
• Most Socially Responsible Handbag:
Bags that meet certain ethical and moral standards with respect to production,
employment and philanthropy, and have impacted the local culture of the country
of manufacture, Presented by Kendall Farrell, Executive Director for Bottomless
Closet NYC
Cherry Kwunyeun: Blumpari, Made in
Thailand, www.blumpari.com
• Best Green Handbag: Bags made
from sustainable, recycled or organic materials, Presented by Christina
Polychroni, Director of Marketing for Korres Natural Products
Andres
Stickney for DRES, www.dresdesign.com
• Audience Fan Favorite:
Selected by over 15,000 readers of Handbag Designer 101 based on the 35 IHDA
finalists, Presented by Creator of the IHDA, Emily Blumenthal
Adriana Castro for Adriana Castro,
www.adrianacastroonline.com
Lifetime Achievement Award
Recipient: Lulu Guinness, Presented by Sir Alan Collins, KCVO CMG
A Judging Panel consisting of Famed
Handbag Designer and 2007 IHDA Lifetime Achievement Recipient of 2007, Carlos
Falchi, Lisa Smilor (Associate Director for the Council of Fashion Designers of
America: CFDA), Lincoln Moore, (SVP DMM, Accessories, Saks Fifth Avenue), Sam
Edelman (CEO of Sam Edelman), Stephan Toljan, (CCB Vice President Market
Management of Swarovski), Devi Kroell (CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell), Taylor Tomasi
(Accessories Director, Teen Vogue), Christina Polychroni, (Director of Marketing
for Korres Natural Products), Katie Boertman (Trade Marketing Manager for Singer
Sewing Company), Tina Aldatz (President of Foot Petals), Meghan Cleary (Miss
Meghan: America’s Shoe Expert) and Julia Poteat (Assistant Professor of Fashion
Methods for Parsons The New School for Design) were responsible for selecting
these "Top Handbag and Shoe Design" from each respective category.
In addition to the title in their
respective categories, the winners a variety of prizes such as having their line
carried at Saks Fifth Avenue (Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design), create
a limited edition shoe with Sam Edelman and Foot Petals (Best Shoe in Overall
Style and Design), in addition to a booth at WWDMAGIC; marketing press tour and
feature with Swarovski (Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements), an
apprenticeship with Devi Kroell (Best Student Made Handbag); a chance to create
a pattern and a feature on Singer Sewing Company’s website (Best Handmade
Handbag), create a limited edition eco-bag with Korres Natural Products (Best
Green Handbag), a feature on World of Good.com by eBay (Most Socially
Responsible Handbag), and a feature on Handbag Designer 101 for the Audience Fan
Favorite.
The 2009 IHDA Sponsors include
CRYSTALLIZED (™) - Swarovski Elements, Singer Sewing Company, WWDMAGIC, Parsons
The New School for Design, Pantone, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sam Edelman, Foot Petals,
Devi Kroell, The Fashion Center, UK Trade and Investment, Korres Natural Beauty,
The Garment Industry Development Corporation, The Luxury Institute, Ripe Ideas,
Soho House NYC, Red Branch Public Relations, Collective-E, Miss Meghan, Rosangel
from Gran Centenario, Kristof Wines, Shine to Go, Megan Howard Design, Smart
Water, enSof Graphics, M&J Trimming, Leather Suede Skins, Rosen & Chadick
Fabrics, Verve NYC and Bottomless Closet.
|
