International fashion festival honours up-and-coming designers – Texpertise Network hands out sustainability award

20 Nov 2023

In late October, the Breton town of Dinan, situated in north-western France, hosted the 27th edition of the Festival International des Créateurs de Mode. The event not only showcased emerging talents but also opened up exclusive fashion design to the general public. Fashion shows took centre stage in the heart of the city and at the theatre, accompanied by a panel discussion on ecological responsibility and digitalisation, as well as the route named ‘Like’ – all accessible to everyone.

The festival recognised some of the most innovative creations with awards. In addition to receiving cooperation offers from international sponsors and practical support, winners are also entitled to a prize fund totalling €100,000.

Grand Prix Dinan 2023: Léo Lemée from LISAA Mode Paris, men’s collection.

Léo Lemée’s collection exhibited striking realism. Demonstrating a level of professionalism akin to a global fashion brand, the collection exuded maturity and thoughtful design. The accessories, luggage and even the fragrances were in harmony with the clothing. Léo dresses his modern maquisard (French Resistance fighter) in a large coat crafted from upcycled felt adorned with impressionist branches. He transforms a plaid into a jacket and sneakers into a belt bag. Everything is recycled and refined, resulting in an exceptionally contemporary elegance.

Royal Mer Award 2023: Armand Rousseau from ESAA Duperré, women’s collection.

The challenge for this award centred around incorporating navy stripes into the design. Armand Rousseau integrated these stripes into his knitted creation: a flowing, sleeveless dress with gold buttons crafted from angora/cashmere foam and featuring artful navy and white stripes. Armand will work with the Royal Mer teams to design a capsule collection slated for distribution across the brand’s entire network.

Dinan Territoire Commerçant/Grand Public Award: Adrian Sas from Chardon Savard, men’s collection.

Adrian Sas clinched the Territoire Commerçant/Grand Public Award thanks to receiving thousands of likes on Instagram. His winning creation is a crystal-embroidered plastron shirt tucked under a long black bathrobe, brought to life by Adrian’s hand-painted, oversized plums.

Surprise award: Loïs Cousin from LISAA Mode Paris, men’s collection.

Michael Scherpe, CEO of the official delegation of Messe Frankfurt France and Monaco, presented the award to Loïs Cousin for her S-Kizo collection. Loïs works and experiments with volume to create technical and functional clothing.

Texpertise Sustainability Award: Tanguy Mélinand

Tanguy Mélinand’s collection draws inspiration from its immediate surroundings in Brittany, a region surrounded by the sea and characterised by diverse and delicate ecosystems. He uses a locally available, compostable material for his collection: algae.

The designer has already received the 2022 Yinger Prize Gold Award for his work in Shenzhen, China. This year, Tanguy was invited to the festival in Dinan thanks to his innovative material concept using marine algae. Claudia Franz, Director Brand Management Interior & Contract Textiles / Apparel Fabrics & Fashion at Messe Frankfurt, presented him with the Texpertise Sustainability Award for his collection. As a recipient of the Texpertise Award, Tanguy will be granted a dedicated presentation space during Neonyt in Paris, which takes place from 20 to 22 January 2024. Tanguy is invited to present, network and exchange ideas as part of this fashion hub for sustainability, digitalisation and innovation.

The sponsors of the awards included: