Today DHL is delighted to announce HADES as the winner of the DHL Award for International Fashion Potential 2018 in partnership with the British Fashion Council.
This year nearly 100 fashion brands applied for the award and five outstanding brands were invited to the final stage:
Dai: performance wear for women who mean business.
HADES: classic British knitwear handcrafted in Hawick, Scotland.
Missy Empire: a rising star in the fashion world.
Represent: a menswear label offering a complete collection of British made apparel.
Soru Jewellery: a collection of bold and ornate jewellery, reflecting the passion of Sicily.
The finalists were each invited to Somerset House during London Fashion Week to meet the panel of judges and make their final pitch. The panel included fashion experts Charlotte Whitehead (British Fashion Council) and Keely Stocker (Drapers) alongside specialists in international logistics and e-commerce: Shannon Diett and Martin Price (DHL).
Amidst fierce competition HADES was selected as the winner. The brand, represented by sisters Cassie and Isabel Holland, was awarded £20,000 to develop their international offering alongside mentoring from the British Fashion Council and DHL’s e-commerce specialists. DHL’s e-commerce specialists will share insight gained from Britain’s largest online retailers, while the BFC will provide Designer Business Development support from its mentoring programme.
Martin Price, Head of E-commerce Business Development at DHL Express UK, said: “All five businesses should be proud of reaching the final stage. Ultimately the panel selected HADES as the winners because they combined great fashion designs with a clear and compelling international strategy. We look forward to seeing their global growth!”
Isabel Holland from HADES said: “It feels incredible to win the DHL Award for International Fashion Potential, especially considering the calibre of finalists. The £20,000 prize money will allow us to grow as a team and as a brand. We’re really excited to explore how we can open up our international markets.”
To find out more information on the DHL Award for International Fashion Potential and register your interest for next year, visit dhlfashion.co.uk