The French Fashion Awards celebrates design excellence in the global fashion industry, honouring designers worldwide who are actively seeing fashion as more than fabric and thread, but as a canvas for innovation, a statement of style, and a reflection of cultural evolution.
In search of fashion visionaries, the competition exhibits dedication in recognising fashion designers, icons, creative professionals, or emerging talents globally who are eager to showcase their latest collections and avant-garde pieces to a global audience, who dare to chart new territories in design, challenge the environment as trendsetters, and exhibit a fearless approach to fashion.
Your inspiration in design can turn into stunning, head-turning fashion statements. Join us today and elevate the art of fashion, presenting exceptional designs to the world.
The French Fashion Awards recognises design excellence in the form of high fashion and sophisticated artistry through the unique statuette of Maia, a symbolisation for the elite in fashion design who blend timeless elegance with ground-breaking innovation.
Maia promotes the spirit of fashion's rich history, mirroring the transversal creativity that has contributed to true beauty in design, honouring designers that are showcasing their take on fashion with every stitch, fabric, and silhouette.
This award is a celebration of fashion's transformative power. It honours creative fashion and design that turn imaginative concepts into a creation of style and uniqueness at the core of the fashion world.
Leading the fashion revolution today are these creative minds who craft tomorrow’s trends in everything, from runway couture to innovative fabric technologies. They are celebrated for their artistic vision, keen sense of style, and commitment to eco-friendly practices, leading them to be a part of the Grand Jury Panel for the award.
Each juror brings unique perspectives and in-depth experience, assuming the roles of leaders and mentors in the fashion industry, guiding the next wave of creative geniuses. Handpicked from around the world, they represent the very best of what it means to be at the top of the fashion game.
Their stories, achievements, and ongoing contributions are shaping the exciting and ever-evolving world of fashion, inspiring fresh talent to dream bigger and push boundaries further.
United States
Xiaowu Zheng
Menswear Designer, United Legwear & Apparel
Xiaowu Zheng is a New York based fashion designer. Trained in fashion at Pratt Institute, Zheng's design experience spans from haute couture to ready-to-wear.
Zheng’s brand gained visibility at NYFW, receiving coverage from iconic magazines like Vogue and Elle. His intricate designs, highlighted by Nick Knight on SHOWstudio, have been showcased globally in venues such as the CICA Museum in Korea and Harvard University. In 2018, Zheng collaborated with '47 on a sustainable project, repurposing deadstock for shows in New York and Boston, followed by a 2023 collection with SHEIN. Currently, he works with United Legwear to refresh brands like Puma and Hurley for the mass market, drawing on his extensive experience with major retailers like Nordstrom and Macy’s.
Xiaowu’s style blends unconventional construction with modern relevance, using clothing to express complex, often dark themes. His work transforms casualwear into free-form pieces with bold details, redefining human form in thought-provoking ways.
Australia
Carly Vidal-Wallace
Carly Vidal-Wallace Fashion Business Advisor, Carly Vidal-Wallace Fashion
Carly has a fifteen-year history working closely in the fashion industry having been based in Paris, Los Angeles and various States in Australia. Her titles have ranged from Fashion Editor, Stylist, Creative Director (having owned her own label) and Global Marketing Manager. Carly founded then sold Brisbane Fashion Month before her experience stretched into Fashion Curation in California. Working for global platform Not Just a Label she built a reputation for having an eye for the most likely to succeed fashion designers.
Having returned from overseas, now based in Noosa Heads, Carly consults to select fashion labels on their marketing and branding; and often lectures in Universities and Fashion Schools. She has consulted with businesses from university graduate start-ups, to strategically building campaigns for companies with a turnover in excess of $60m.
Carly leads the community “Women in Fashion”, as she also prepares for her next venture, SHE HER funded by an international tech company which is set to launch late 2021.
She has a passion for sustainability and ethical fashion and hopes in every role she takes on, to have the biggest global impact. Her stand out career moments have been interviewing Jimmy Choo, chatting with Diane von Fürstenberg, and attending Paris Fashion Week scouting new fashion talent.
Croatia (Hrvatska)
Sunčana Jozić Lučić
Creative Director/Designer, Gugabaga
Sunčana Jozić Lučić is a versatile designer from Croatia. Since her early days, she has been a member of various art groups. After graduating from the School of Applied Art and Design, she achieved the status of an arranger and scenography designer. Her further education also focused on design; after graduating from the Textile Technology College in Zagreb, she earned the title of fashion designer, and later, she became a makeup artist after completing her studies in Paris. From the outset of her career, she has worked as a multidisciplinary designer, makeup artist, and stylist, continually honing her skills in these fields and exploring various techniques. After opening her creative agency, she specialized in fashion, product and graphic design, illustration, scenography, and applied arts.
Recently, as part of a five-member Croatian team, she attended the international creative residency CODES in Thessaloniki, Greece, where she contributed to creating a new digital platform for designers. As part of her work, she established an Entrepreneurs Club in her town, which will soon host the event FURKA, showcasing and presenting local designers, creative professionals, and crafters. The event has received a very positive response, significantly impacting the local community, and is growing each year.
Learn more about these inspiring testimonials from these successful individuals in the fashion and design world! Hear from designers, stylists, and icons who have made their mark in the industry with their revolutionary ideas and exquisite craftsmanship.
In their own words, discover the heart and soul of exceptional fashion design. These testimonials are powerful narratives that showcase the transformative impact of creativity and innovation in fashion.
“ It’s an honour to have our work be recognised along with so many others! It’s an honour to be awarded and this validates our approach. ”
~ Jon Olsen, Founder of Vaask®
“ Its’s a great success and honour for us. Winning a Platinum from a professional jury is something outstanding. It means a lot for our team. We are inspired and motivated to work harder and create impactful projects. ”
~ Dz Apolenis, Aida Pioneer Branding Agency
“ It is an honour to win this award. But it is also a reminder that working hard, having a clear vision and mission in everything you do pays off. This is an award for my clients and my team who worked enormously hard to achieve this result. Their dedication to excellence brought us so far. ”
~ Argyro Vlachour, Founder of Studio Cord
“ Winning the award is a significant milestone for me. This recognition not only reflects all the hard work and effort I've put into my projects but also confirms that the design community values and acknowledges my contribution. This award emphasises the importance of continuous learning, innovation, and striving for excellence in design. ”
~ Aleksandr Volodkovich, Product Designer of BNPL
“ Thank you! It was spectacular news to learn that our entry had won multiple awards. For us, it is very exciting and great feedback for our work in which we put so much love and passion. Especially when that feedback comes from the great designers who are part of the award jury. ”
~ Mati Papalini and Marko Filipic,
“ It means a lot to me to receive this award distinction. Personally, it is a great source of satisfaction because creativity often requires courage and belief in oneself and one's dreams. When a panel of international judges recognises your work as among the best in the world, it provides a boost of energy and self-confidence. This award validates my belief in my dream of becoming a renowned designer who leaves a mark. ”
~ Eleonora Federici, Creative Director & Jewelry Designer of Gioielleria Marinone
“ Securing the award is a celebration of our team's passion and excellence in design. It underscores our global recognition and fuels our drive to continue breaking new grounds in the design world. ”
~ Artem Kropovinsky, Founder of Arsight
“ Receiving the award distinction at the awards is a great honor for us, being one of our first recognition. It immense a sense of accomplishment, validating our efforts to create sustainable spaces. This award will enhances our visibility, credibility, and motivation, opening up new opportunities. We are grateful for this recognition. ”
~ Bartosz Bykowski, Founder of few.
“ Winning the awards is an extraordinary achievement that fills me with immense pride. This accolade not only acknowledges the hard work and unwavering dedication I have put into my craft but also reaffirms the belief that thoughtful and sustainable design can make a positive difference in society. ”
~ Matthew Arquette, Founder of M + Arquette
“ Winning this award can have a significant impact on my future as a designer. It enhances my credibility, establishes recognition within the industry, and opens doors to new opportunities. The award serves as a testament to my skills and expertise, allowing me to attract prestigious clients, collaborate on exciting projects, and further advance my career in the design field. ”
~ Shadi Al Hroub, Creative Director of MENAMONSTERS
“ Winning the award is a significant achievement and a source of great pride and validation for a design company and its team. It represents recognition and acknowledgment of their creativity, innovation, and excellence in the field of design. ”
~ Zeid Maoulawi
“ Winning in the award means that I got recognised by the designer society and I value it much. I believe it might open new collaboration opportunities for me between different agencies and design firms. ”
~ Nataliya Naymark, Founder of NNaymark design
“ Winning this prestigious award is something that we are very proud of. It underlines how the efforts made by my team and me – to constantly improve products from an environmental-impact point of view – can find its form of expression with a design that that does not necessarily follow the “old”, but finds instead its own specific connotation. ”
~ Alessandro Deodati, Co-founder and Head of R&D, Niteko Srl
“ This win is a confirmation that we're on the right track. As seasoned designers, Mara and I have been around the block a few times, but starting our own company was a risk. Winning this award tells us that we made the right choice and I'm excited for what's to come. ”
~ Wesley Burdett, Co-Founder & Principal of Within Light Studio
“ It is an honour to win this award. It is a fantastic boost to always seek for new challenges. This award is a recognition of the hard work and care that goes in our designs and for our clients. Very importantly, it is a recognition of teamwork where suppliers and specialists we collaborate with show the same level of hard work, support, care and play a key role in every project. ”
~ Sonia Bourruel, Founder of Sonia b design
The International Awards Associate (IAA) is a group of industry innovators, creators, designers and communication professionals whose commitment is to move the industry forward through discovery and recognition of new and existing talent.
