AUSFF Announces 2020 Scholarship Award Winner: Vanessa Tan
NEW YORK/SYDNEY/MELBOURNE/BRISBANE (DECEMBER 9, 2020) - THE AUSTRALIAN FASHION FOUNDATION (AUSFF) TONIGHT ANNOUNCED THE 2020 WINNER OF ITS ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS, SHOWCASING A PROMISING FUTURE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN FASHION INDUSTRY.
THE WINNER OF THE 2020 AUSFF SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WAS PRESENTED TO VANESSA TAN, A RECENT GRADUATE OF RMIT.
THE FOUNDATION’S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN FASHION WAS NOT HAMPERED WITH THE CHALLENGES OF 2020, WITH THE FIRST VIRTUAL JUDGING PANEL HELD WITH INDUSTRY LUMINARIES JOINING FROM AUSTRALIAN AND THE United States.
THE HIGHLY ESTEEMED JUDGING PANEL CAME TOGETHER VIRTUALLY TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER WHO WAS SELECTED FROM A POOL OF TEN FINALISTS. THE 2020 FINALISTS WERE: JOASH TEO, JOSHUA SAACKS, JYE MARSHALL, KERRY BRACK, OLIVIA FAGAN, OSCAR KEENE, ROSANNA LI, VANESSA TAN, WAI YI TAT AND YVONNE SOUTHERN.
THE JUDGES PRESENT AT THE AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT INCLUDED BRANA WOLF (LEGENDARY FASHION STYLIST AND EDITOR); DION LEE (FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DION LEE); JILLIAN DAVISON (CREATIVE DIRECTOR, VOGUE AUSTRALIA); NANCY PILCHER (AUSTRALIAN LAUREATE AWARD WINNER, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VOGUE AUSTRALIA); Nicky Zimmermann (CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ZIMMERMANN); JULIE ANNE QUAY (CO-FOUNDER, AUSFF AND FOUNDER, VFILES); AND Malcolm Carfrae (CO-FOUNDER, AUSFF AND FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL, Carfrae Consulting).
AUSFF is pleased to continue to provide promising Australian graduates an opportunity to build their skills at an international level, with previous winners completing internships at wardrobe.nyc, Dion Lee, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Louis Vuitton, Thom Browne, Alexander McQueen, DVF, and Calvin Klein.
Malcolm Carfrae said of the scholarship, “Despite a very challenging year for the Australian fashion industry and the many students who had to learn and work remotely, we received many world-class applications this year from students who bravely rethought how they designed and presented their work. There were many who could have benefited from the scholarship, kindly provided by the American Australian Association, but in the end the judges chose Vanessa Tan, a graduate of Melbourne’s RMIT as the winner. Her brilliantly executed and innovative collection showed the potential for garments to transcend fashion to incorporate product design and performance art.”
The Australian Fashion Foundation is a New York based global non-profit organization which supports emerging Australian creative talent to gain world class fashion experience and mentorship. The AUSFF Scholarship Awards are open to designers, photographers, stylists, writers, and art directors - any fashion profession that meets the criteria of eligibility.
About AUSFF
Since 2009, the Australian Fashion Foundation has led the way in promoting and mentoring talented and passionate young Australians in the fashion and creative industries on a global scale by providing them with world class, hands-on international experience, to return home with globally recognized training and contacts. By opening these doors and creating this platform, the Australian Fashion Foundation not only propels the passions and paths of these individuals, but also serves to further expand and enrich the future of the Australian fashion industry, abroad and in Australia. The Australian Fashion Foundation was co-founded by Malcolm Carfrae (Carfrae Consulting) and Julie Anne Quay (VFILES).
About the American Australian Association
The American Australian Association is proud to be the 2020 AUSFF Scholarship Awards Title Sponsor. Established by Sir Keith Murdoch in New York City in 1948, the American Australian Association (AAA) is the leading privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to deepening and strengthening cooperation and understanding between the institutions and people of the United States and Australia through its business, education, veterans and arts programs. Recognizing the energizing effect of new environments, international collaborations, artistic exchange and educational opportunities, the AAA has to date awarded more than $1 million in grants to emerging or early career Australian and American artists who show promise in the fields of theatre, fashion, dance, film & television, music, literary arts, visual arts, craft and design.