Bounipun and Nachiket Barve were announced as the menswear and womenswear winners, respectively, of the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize India, Pakistan & Middle East regional final, at an awards event held in Mumbai, India.
Mumbai based Nachiket Barve is attuned to a design philosophy that is global in his aesthetic, but local in techniques and resources by working extensively with craft techniques learnt by artisans over generations. Aiming to design a product that is emotional, timeless and unique, in his winning look, Nachiket used a mixture of felted applique, hand embroidery and digital print.
Bounipun redefines menswear landscape by adopting Kashmir craft practices, working with skilled locals to present historic artistry to a global audience, creating a signature style that fuses contemporary minimalism with classic heritage. Born and raised in Kashmir, designers Zubair and Renni Kirmani presented a three piece look including 3D laser cutting and looping techniques.
“The Prize has been institutionalized since 1950 and continues to be celebrated internationally,” stated Manish Malhotra. “It is a progressive platform for designers to explore creativity and push their designs forward. This is indeed an incredible opportunity for them to innovate and experiment with the versatility of one of the most luxurious fibers – wool.”
For the next six months, the winning designers will be required to develop a capsule collection in Merino wool, to be showcased at one of two extraordinary events that will highlight the six menswear finalists and six womenswear finalists selected from across the globe. The final for menswear will be held on schedule during London Collections Men and the womenswear final will be held in Paris, both in January 2017.
