Shining Star

Marios Schwab star continues to rise – the current British New Designer of the Year won this year's Swiss Textiles Award in Zurich on Friday night ahead of fellow finalists Gareth Pugh, Ann Sofie Back, German labels Bless and Ute Ploier and Parisian star Felipe Oliveira Bapitsta. The award, 100,000 Euros, aims to nourish new designers at a stage in their career when they have proved their talent but lack the finance to translate it into a business which allows them to compete on fashion's world stage. The finalists were picked from a list of over 100 nominees, offered by an international list of fashion folk including Yasmin Sewell, Suzy Menkes and Jane Shepherson, which was then whittled down to six by the Swiss Textiles Federation. "We want to find worldwide talents and boost that talent into a good career," said Ronald Weisbrod of the Swiss Textile Federation. "The criteria that we're looking for is good press reviews and at least four international catwalk shows. We're thrilled that Marios won and we're looking forward to seeing the effect this will have on his career now."

Marios's winter collection 2007