On the award’s 20th anniversary, Macgraw follows in the footsteps of other Australian greats including STRATEAS.CARLUCCI, Dion Lee, Romance Was Born, Yeojin Bae and Toni Maticevski, who are now internationally acclaimed designers.
This year’s judging panel comprised of VAMFF’s CEO Graeme Lewsey, Tiffany & Co’s Vice President Glen Schlehuber, 2015 Award winners Amanda Cumming and Kate Reynolds of PAGEANT; Harper BAZAAR’s Editor-In-Chief Kelly Hush and David Jones’ Director of Merchandise, Donna Player.
The winning Macgraw sisters launched their brand in 2012, a label with a modern feminine aesthetic, soft tailoring, elegant lace and fresh original prints.
Their stunning designs earned themselves a package valued at over $100,000: a $10,000 cheque, a custom designed trophy from Tiffany & Co, a trip to New York courtesy of Virgin Australia, to meet the Tiffany & Co design team; a business development package including K&L Gates legal services and Harper’s BAZAAR look book styling assistance.
The pair were overwhelmed with the announcement and incredibly gracious, saying: “We are so honoured to have received this prestigious award, particularly given the standard of the other finalists. We are very grateful to Tiffany & Co. and the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival for recognizing our potential and providing us with this incredible opportunity.”
