AUSFF ANNOUNCES 2022 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS: OLIVIA LAW & KRITIKON KHAMSAWAT
SYDNEY/NEW YORK (DECEMBER 19th, 2022) – The Australian Fashion Foundation (AUSFF) hosted their 14th Annual AUSFF Scholarship Awards, presented by the American Australian Association (AAA) and The Next Generation at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, Australia, showcasing a promising future for the Australian fashion industry and marking the foundation’s return to an in-person event after two years conducting the judging virtually.
The 2022 AUSFF Scholarship Awards were presented to fashion designer Kritikon Khamsawat, a recent graduate of RMIT, and creative director Olivia Law of The Whitehouse Institute of Design.
In partnership with the American Australian Association (AAA) and The Next Generation, the two winners will each receive a USD$20,000 grant and, pending global travel restrictions, an internship with a global fashion powerhouse in the United States in 2023.
This year’s winners were selected by an esteemed judging panel of leaders within the Australian Fashion Industry, including Camilla Freeman-Topper (Co-Founder & Creative Director, Camilla & Marc); Edwina McCann (Editor in Chief & Publisher Prestige, Vogue Australia); Courtney Miller (Director, The Next Generation); Malcolm Carfrae (Co-Founder, AUSFF; Founder & Principal, Carfrae Consulting) and Kara Hurry (Founder, Entente Agency; Board Member, AUSFF).
The two winners were selected from a shortlist of ten finalists that also included Alex Petho, Aviva Gandler, Chritopher Wong, Evie Rosa, Jarrod Koutros, Jason Clark, Madeleine Savleson and Victoria Talaina.
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, Oscar de la Renta, Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Louis Vuitton, Thom Browne, Alexander McQueen, DVF, and Calvin Klein.
Malcolm Carfrae said of the scholarship, “We are thrilled that we are able to present the awards in real life again and meet the future stars of Australian fashion in person. We have been very impressed with the quality of the applicants. Thanks to our partnership with the American Australian Association and The Next Generation, we have been able to expand our awards to now include a reciprocal scholarship for American fashion graduates to receive bursaries to travel to Australia for valuable experience.”
The Next Generation’s Courtney Miller said, “The next generation of creative talent in Australia is so exceptional – we’re thrilledto play a part in supporting the next stage of these young peoples exciting journeys.”
“We are proud to continue our partnership with AUSFF to give emerging Australian designers the opportunity to learn from global fashion icons, leaders and innovators in New York. We are delighted to play a part in realizing the dreams and ambitions of the next generation in the arts by building artistic exchange and collaboration between our two countries,” said Ambassador John Berry (Ret’d.), President, American Australian Association.
Artist, Louise Olsen, Co-Founder of Dinosaur Designs created and generously donated the bespoke 2022 award trophies again with the return of the in-person event. The cocktail celebration and awards ceremony was attended by Australian fashion industry guests including Models Victoria Lee, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Jena Goldsack & Dougie Joseph, Influencer and Model Tanja Gacic and Fashion TV Host, Kathryn Eismann.
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.
ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION (TNG)
THE NEXT GENERATION IS A NEW PRIVATE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED BY NICK AND GABI MOLNAR (NICK IS THE CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF AFTERPAY). THE NEXT GENERATION IS ABOUT A RADICALLY DIFFERENT WORLD WITH UNLIMITED ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND CONNECTIVITY. IT IS A FOUNDATION WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE WORLD. THE FOUNDATION IS CONSCIOUS OF INHERITING THE WORLD’S CHALLENGES: INEQUITABLE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITY, THE MOUNTING ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES, AND THE INCREASING REALITIES OF FRAYING COMMUNITIES.
THE FOUNDATION ACKNOWLEDGES THE WORLD UNIQUELY THROUGH THIS NEXT GENERATION LENS – BOTH THE CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES. TNG UNDERSTANDS THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER, PRODUCTIVITY, AND POSSIBILITY OF THE NEXT GENERATION TO CREATE EXPONENTIAL POSITIVE IMPACT. TNG TAKES A FRESH APPROACH TO COLLABORATE, INVEST IN, AND STAND BEHIND THE NEXT GENERATION, WITH A FRESH PHILANTHROPIC PERSPECTIVE. TNG WANTS TO BE A PART OF CREATING THE WORLD THAT THIS NEXT GENERATION DEMANDS AND DESERVES.