Molly Wade was awarded the Only Natural Fashion Apparel Category Winner and was announced as the Overall Winner of the Fashion Competition.
Molly has an MFA in in Fashion Design from the London College of Fashion. She now works for Vivienne Westwood creating bespoke commissions for clients. As a Manx designer, Molly continually pushes for the recognition of Celtic and Gaelic nations that play a vital part in Britain’s history, as well as a creative and cultural influence in the fashion industry. Molly recently represented the Isle of Man at the renowned Festival Interceltique de Lorient, a world famous Celtic festival that attracts one million visitors annually.
Molly’s design practice envisions a world where the untapped potential of British agriculture becomes coveted treasure in the fashion industry. Her work follows a journey of revitalising cattle hides from regenerative farming, restoring profitability through couture craftmanship and using experiences to convey this message through a narrative lens. Accepting that natural materials such as hides should have no ‘industry standard’ finish, Molly embraced the imperfections of leather. Blending traditional and contemporary craft techniques, her project ‘Shenn Vyrneen Aym’ (An Old Love of Mine) is a direct response to Molly’s own experience of establishing a welfare-centred production chain.
To read more about Molly and her winning design, click here.