Ilaria Venturini Fendi will be awarded the first Grand Prize by the World Fashion Development Program (WFDP), during a gala evening that will take place in Seoul, South Korea, on November 14, hosted in part by the City of Seoul. Presenting the award is Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia and recently appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Fashion4Development.
The prizes distinguish those innovators on all levels of the fashion industry who have made efforts to make the business more humane. The categories include Fashion for Humanity, Fashion Design, and Green Fashion, among others.
“ I am so delighted that Ilaria Venturini Fendi is our honoree for Fashion and Design at the World Fashion Development Grand Prize Awards 2011 in Seoul , Korea. I truly hope that her work through Carmina Campus will continue to inspire other designers around the globe to follow in her foots steps (…). Ilaria’s efforts are helping feed families and uplift villages and I applaud her creativity, “ said Evie Evangelou, Chair , World Fashion Development Programme and Co-Founder, Fashion 4 Development.
Venturini Fendi, founder and designer of Carmina Campus, will be granted the prize for ethical Fashion Design, which recognizes the person who made the most notable effort to create sustainable modern fashion. Venturini Fendi uses the experience she acquired while working for her family’s illustrious fashion house for her own creative project in combining sustainability, ethical production and avant-garde design.
Founded in 2006, the brand explores innovative ways to reuse materials, save from waste, give back to the community and create unique items ranging from handbags to home furniture. As of 2007 Venturini Fendi has been particularly active in Africa, starting a Carmina Campus production project in Cameroon.
WFDP is an established non-profit charity organization with international outreach whose purpose is to create development and contribute to economic recovery through fashion. WFDP, chaired by Evie Evangelou, is the non-profit sector of “ Fashion 4 Development,“ a project originally founded in 1996 by Bangladesh super model and fashion designer Bibi Russel.