Graduate hailed as one of the world’s top new talents in sustainable fashion

Lili Sipeki is among 10 emerging designers announced as finalists in the highly-prestigious, global 2021 Redress Design Award.

Recognised as the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition, the Grand Final Show in Hong Kong was opened with Lili’s collection.

By putting sustainable design talent in the global spotlight, the competition creates a unique platform for passionate and talented fashion game-changers to transform the fashion industry.

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Lili’s Redress Design Award collection ‘REuniFORM’, focuses on tackling the large amount of waste that results from school uniforms. She reconstructs secondhand garments to transform them via patchworking techniques and quilting into elaborate, multi-functional and customisable high fashion garments that contradict the very notion of the uniform. Detachable pockets, frills and details increase the value and longevity of the garments.

Lili graduated from the University of Chester Fashion Design Bachelor of Arts programme in 2020 with First Class Honours and her final degree collection research was focused on creating zero waste sustainable fashion solutions.

Lili, from Hungary, said: “As we are moving towards a more circular fashion industry, we are all responsible to incorporate sustainability into our design process and we should all make it a top priority when developing new designs.”

She added: “It was such an amazing experience being part of the Redress competition. It was a lot of hard work but seeing my designs come to life on the runway made it all worth it.”

Delphine Wilson, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Fashion Design at the University of Chester which is in the Guardian University Guide’s top ten University Fashion and Textile courses, said: “Congratulations to Lili on this amazing achievement.

“We’re extremely proud that she has been recognised with this coveted Award, championing designers who are spearheading skilful creative reuse of waste materials, useless or unwanted products into new fashionable products.

“She thoroughly deserves the recognition, also making it to the semi-final of the 2018 Redress Design Award cycle. Lili is making her mark in the fashion industry and will continue to do so; we’re delighted this accolade has highlighted how she is one-to-watch for the future.”

International Judge and Chief Operating Officer of TAL Group, Christophe Degoix added: “Promoting sustainable products is critical to the future of the apparel industry and these young designers across the world are showing us the way.”

Redress is the global leading NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) fighting textile wastage in the fashion industry.

While Lili just missed out on the first and runner-up prizes, her collection will continue to feature in a Redress exhibition.

Further information on the Award is available at: https://www.redressdesignaward.com.

To watch the Grand Final Show, please visit: https://youtu.be/jhpj-NirGe4 and for more about Lili and her work, go to: https://sipeki.com/

Further information

• Every second, the equivalent of one rubbish truck of textiles is landfilled or burned globally. Ellen Macarthur Foundation (2020), The Circular Economy: A transformative COVID 19 strategy.
• Textile waste is estimated to increase by 60% by 2030 (from 2017 numbers). Source: Global Fashion Agenda and The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. (2017), Pulse of the Fashion Industry.
• Designers are said to influence around 80% of a product’s environmental impact. Source: EU Science Hub (2018), Sustainable Product Policy.