Hannah Jinkins is honoured as the winner of the H&M Design Award 2016

Hannah Jinkins, a graduate from the Royal College of Art was crowned the
victor last night of the H&M Design Award 2016 in a event held at London’s
Kensington Place.

Jinkins was named the winner from which included the likes of Balmain’s creative director Olivier
Rousteing and photographer Nick Knight. As the winner of the H&M Design
Award 2016, Jinkins is set to receives a one-year mentorship from H&M, a
cash prize of 50,000 euros as well as the opportunity to develop a winning
collection as a capsule collection to be sold in selected H&M stores around
the globe and online next autumn. The eight selected finalists were each
awarded 5,000 euros respectively.

The 24 year old designer, who hails from London, graduated from the Royal
College of Art in 2015. Within her collection she sought to create balance
between more rough and tough materials such as raw denim and inner linings
of silk. Her silhouettes are oversized, yet feminine at the same time,
showing “a real understanding of the female body,” according to a statement
from H&M.

“I feel very honoured and proud to have won the H&M Design Award,” said
Jinkins on her winning. “When my name was announced, it was very surreal
and I felt quite emotional. I want to start my own label, and winning the
award means I can follow my dream.”

A video posted by H&M (@hm) on Dec 7, 2015 at 2:02pm
PST

Members of the jury were quick to share their praise for Jinkins winning
collection and vision of womenswear. “I was so impressed by Hannah’s
collection. It is very contemporary, with a real understanding of a woman’s
body,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor of H&M. “It feels like
something very new in womenswear, which makes her such an exciting winner
of the H&M Design Award 2016.”

“Hannah is amazing,” added Olivier Rousteing. She has her own unique
vision. She has such strong energy, she’s modern, young and really knows
what she wants. She works with a tough fabric, yet somehow manages to make
it sexy and glamorous at the same time.”

Kate Bosworth stressed the graduates talent to combine many different
aspects skilfully within her designs. “Hannah is really brilliant. She has
the ability to balance so many difficult things, like the raw with the
refined, or something very grown up with something more youthful. I found
choosing the winner of the H&M Design Award very difficult, because the
calibre of the finalists is up there with the best in fashion.”

The eight finalists for the H&M Design Award 2016 were selected from 40 of the
world’s most respected design schools, which each designer presenting four
different looks from their graduation collections to a private audience,
which included the jury panel, as well as selected members of the global
fashion media, who where invited for the first time.

This year’s design award featured students from the highest number of
schools to date, with participating colleges hailing from Austria, Belgium,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands,
Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US, Japan and Korea. H&M founded its
Design Award in 2012, as part of its ongoing commitment to the future of
fashion. The annual award to open to both students and graduates of the
world’s most prestigious designs schools in 16 countries.