Offlate,the Woolmark Company announce the India & Middle East nominees for one of the most coveted designer awards.

This year a sixth region has been added to the competition, The British Isles, with the regional award to be held in London. The five other regional awards will be held in Shanghai, Sydney, Antwerp, Dubai and New York to select the ten finalists, each receiving AUD$50,000 financial contribution towards their next collection as well as an invitation to participate in the international final.

The six menswear finalists will meet at an event held during PITTI UOMO, Florence in January 2016 and the six womenswear finalists will meet in New York in February 2016.

The India & Middle East regional award will be held on 22nd July in Dubai. Nominees will present sketches of a Merino wool capsule collection comprising of six outfits, with one full outfit to be produced. The India & Middle East nominees for the 2015/16 International Woolmark Prize are:

Womenswear:

• AKAARO, India
• Nachiket Barve, India
• Sania Maskatiya, Pakistan
• Taller Marmo, UAE
• Bleach, UAE
• Misha  Lakhani, Pakistan
• Bashar Assaf, Lebanon
• Mira hayek, Lebanon

Menswear:

• Republic, Pakistan
• Suket Dhir, India
• Thamanyah, UAE

The Ambassador of France to India, Francois Richier bestowed the medal of the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres) on Goan Fashion Designer Wendell Rodricks on the French naval frigate FNS Chevalier Paul in Vasco da Gama Port, Goa.

Along with the Commander of the French Fleet, Rear Admiral Chaperon, Captains of the various ships, officers of the Indian and French Navy, French Consul in Mumbai, Yves Perrin and members of the French community in India, the fashion designer was felicitated with the honour from the Ministry of Culture and Communication, France. The French Ambassador pinned the medal on the designer and noted his significant legacy to Indian and International Fashion, for being a writer, Environmentalist, Educationist in Fashion and contribution to Goa and India while promoting French culture.

The designer delivered a thank you speech in fluent French ending with “Vive la France! Viva Goa! Jai Hind!”

Wendell Rodricks is the first Indian fashion designer to receive this honour and the first Goan to bring the silver and green Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres medal to Goa.

British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, known for her anti-fracking campaigning, took to the streets of London cradling a fracked baby of the future in her recent protest against hydraulic fracturing.

Holding a doll covered in bloodstains – intended to illustrate the potential impact of fracking on future generations. Flanked by mad-max style performers on stilts, Westwood painted a clear picture of a post-apocalyptic world. The protest was organized by Talk Fracking, an activist group headed by her son Joseph Corré.

She has been continuingly protesting against fracturing and the danger its causes to mankind.

Renowned fashion house Dior has produced a series of charming short animated videos marking the launch of its new Rose des Vents fine jewelry collection.

Based on fanciful illustrations by Victoire de Castellane, each short film represents one of the four types of stones used in the jewels: north for mother-of-pearl; east for pink opal; south for turquoise, and west for lapis lazuli.

The first movie portrays an imaginary party preparation between de Castellane and Christian Dior at the famed Dior headquarters on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. The sparkling lapis lazuli jewels serve in place of a disco ball, illuminating the room.

The Rose des Vents collection will consist of four bracelets, four necklaces and one long necklace and will go on sale on May 11 in France, May 18 in Europe and June 3 in the rest of the world.