Maximilian Raynor Wins UK Shortlist Jury 2025 For India’s R|Elan Circular Design Challenge
Maximilian Raynor has been declared the winner of the UK Shortlist Jury 2025 for the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC), India’s pioneering platform for circular and sustainable fashion innovation.
A collaboration between R|Elan, the next-gen fabric brand of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and the United Nations in India, the CDC is a global initiative empowering emerging designers and entrepreneurs to reshape fashion through sustainability, waste reduction and circularity. The UK leg of the competition was held in partnership with the British Council.
Raynor impressed the jury with his experimental approach to circular design, using deadstock luxury materials, British wool roll ends, and vegan apple leather to create collections with zero-waste cutting techniques. Approximately 50% of his brand’s revenue comes from rentals, further challenging the linear fashion model.
The UK jury panel included industry experts such as Akanksha Kamath, Chelsea Franklin, Muchaneta Ten Napel and Serva Davis, who assessed entries based on innovation, lifecycle analysis, social impact and alignment with the UN SDGs.
Rakesh Bali, Senior VP and Head of Marketing at RIL, congratulated Raynor during the announcement in Milan, stating, “This platform, born in India and now global in reach, nurtures designers who are not only creative but also conscious. We are proud to support this movement that brings together industry, multilateral partners, and the design community to drive meaningful change.”
Raynor will now join the winners from the EU, APAC, and India jury meets at the CDC Finals, to be held during Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in October 2025. The ultimate winner will receive a GBP 14,000 seed fund, the CDC Trophy, a six-month mentorship with Orsola De Castro and Estethica, and a standalone showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2025.
The EU Jury Meet was won by Martina Boero on 24 June, while the APAC and India jury winners are expected to be announced in July 2025.
