2011 FDC Young Designer Awards - Presents the Crème of Young Fresh Fashion Talent

Creative Talent Given an International Opportunity

On Saturday 29 October 2011, Fashion Designers' & Craft Makers' Network held the annual, innovative Young Designer Awards. These exciting awards were established by knitwear designer Joanna Marcella with the aim to help raise profile of exceptionally gifted avant-garde designers from multicultural backgrounds. The brief this year is to produce avant-garde designs inspired by ‘The British Designer Alexander McQueen’

Families, friends, fashion lovers and the press alike gathered together at The Novotel London Hotel St. Pancras 100 Euston Road London NW1 for what was an inspiring and exhilarating award ceremony. They were also joined by a panel special guest Judges from the media and fashion world, who included: Alexandra Icart Jeansation's CEO, Des Cooke (sponsoring the Young Designer Awards) Jemima Rose Designer Brand, Radhika Sathe Fashion Editor of Niji Magazine, Fatima Wesson Fashion Editor of Love Brown Style Magazine, Hapsatou Doro Fashion Editor EKyRA Magazine and Janelle Oswald Celebrity/News Reporter for GV Media Group.

This year's entrants were certainly out to amaze the judges and the standards were extremely high, this made judging exceedingly challenging, nevertheless, after much deliberation winners were finally selected.

The awards was split into these categories

2011 FDC Celebration of Young Fashion Designers Award first place went to Abbie Miriam Ivy Smith and second place went to Tumisola Ladega.

The 2011 FDC Young Designer Award winners were first place Aimee Ward and second place went to Michael Wallace and a very special Jeansation Award went to Holly Jane Allen.

The 2011 FDC Radical Designer Award first place was awarded Josephine Kyomuhendo and second place went Rosie Olivia and finally third place went to Hemasree Bose. Another special Jeansation Award went to Tonje Arnesen.

Radhika Sathe, Fashion Editor of Niji Magazine said "The event was a catwalk success as talented designers brought out their designs. Deciding the winners was a tough call to make and we judges sure had a hard time! You could see the designers' ideas and their translation into the collection distinctly and it made me realise how much creativity is out there waiting to be recognised. The FDC Young Designer Awards and the Radical Designer Awards and of course, the Celebration of Young Fashion Designers Awards are wonderful platforms for the talent from different age groups to showcase at."

JEANSATION - is a global design Platform in Monte-Carlo, the Principality of Monaco which unites young jeans designers to the new Creative Community in order to reveal new names and help them to launch their professional career. Holly Allen and Tonje Arnesen have been given a great the opportunity by Alexandra Icart Jeansation's CEO to showcase a denim collection in a very up-market and sophisticated region of France.

Young Designer Awards and Radical Designer Award winner's new collection will be put before the panels of Seattle Fashion Week, Fashion Designers Expo Week in Florida and New Jersey Fashion Week. They will choose the designers’ they would like to offer a showcase to. All of our winners will show their collection at the next young designer awards.

Joanna Marcella says "we have found some new, fresh and exciting designers to put forward to our international sponsors. The Young Designer Awards has been an excellent platform in giving aspiring designers the opportunity to showcase their talent to an international audience, I truly believe that we have found some future industry shakers and makers."

The FDC Young Designer Awards is set to thrive in the future as it moves into a new phase in its search for a European Young designer of the year.