Fashion Designer Anish Malpani Wins Circular Design Challenge
Fashion designer Anish Malpani of ‘Without’ label won the 5th Circular Design Challenge (CDC), India’s biggest sustainability award organised by R|Elan, the next-gen fabric brand of Reliance Industries and held in association with the United Nations.
The challenge culminated with a finale show at the UN House during Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. Felipe Fiallo from the European Union was the runner-up.
With the aim to give a global platform to fashion design talent that integrates sustainability in design and production to reduce waste and pollution and recycle products, CDC embarked on a worldwide expansion to EU, UK and the Asia-Pacific region.
Circular Design Challenge (CDC) is India’s largest award for designers and entrepreneurs that recognises and promotes circularity, sustainability and innovation in the fashion and textile industries.
The fashion and apparel industry are amongst the highest polluters and CDC attempts to transform the ecologically intensive sector.
The CDC advocates for the recognition of India’s heritage, the relevance of creating fashion labels with social impact, and the necessity of adopting a circular manufacturing model to advance sustainable practices that address extractive impacts on the environment.
Five years ago, RIL and United Nations pioneered this creative and innovative platform that nurtures, mentors and promotes environmental champions – torchbearers of sustainable design and manufacturing practices and advocates of sustainable production and consumption.
CDC has identified and supported remarkable winners who combine fashion with environmentally friendly innovations. Some past winners include I Was A Sari, which upcycles discarded saris, while empowering women artisans.
They also include Malai Biomaterials Design, which creates sustainable alternatives to leather and Bandit, which masters the art of upcycling various materials into eco-cool products, and Pieux, which focuses on recycled materials and modular garment construction.
Moreover, the platform has supported 25 alumni through workshops and networks to gradually transform the fashion ecosystem.
CDC partners across borders include British Council for the UK, Redress for Hong Kong/Asia Pacific, and Istituto Marangoni for the European Union.
The winner, Anish Malpani received funding worth Rs 15 lakhs, the coveted CDC trophy, and a six month mentorship program along with a stand-alone showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in March 2024.
Felipe Fiallo, the runner up received funding worth Rs 5 lakhs and the winner and runner-up will be mentored by Orsola de Castro, Co-founder of Fashion Revolution & Creative Director of Estethica.
