ORGANISED BY RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LIMITED’S – R|ELAN ™ IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS IN INDIA AND SUPPORTED BY BRITISH COUNCIL AT JCA | LONDON FASHION ACADEMY ON 10TH JUNE 2024
Silvia Acién has been declared the winner of the UK Jury Meet for India’s R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC) in London. CDC awards talented designers and gives them a global platform to showcase designs and innovations deeply rooted in the principles of sustainability and circularity.
Silvia Acién will join the winners of the EU, APAC and India jury meets to participate in the finals at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India in October 2024.
SILVIA ACIÉN
Silvia Acién, the founder of ACIEN, is a Regenerative Knitwear Designer who embodies the essence of regenerative luxury fashion. A graduate of Central Saint Martins’ BA Knitwear course in 2023, Silvia draws inspiration from her upbringing in the rural landscapes of Spain, where her connection to her parents’ greenhouse instilled in her a deep reverence for nature. This foundational influence has profoundly shaped her worldview and serves as the driving force behind ACIEN’s commitment to regeneration.
Silvia Acién
Acién won the Maison/0 x LVMH Green Trial Award and the Frameworks Knitters Award and showed her work at London Fashion Week, The Future Fabric Expo, Dutch Design Week and Tate Modern. Silvia was featured in magazines such as VOGUE, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, El País, Talking Textiles, Office, Rebel, Sunday Girl, Experimenta, FGUK, Sicky, Malvie, Hunter, Sleek and Aether. She also took part in several Fundraising catwalks and won the Central Saint Martins Nike project.
The UK edition of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC) jury meet was an immense success, curating an international platform for fashion design talents worldwide. This competition will culminate at the upcoming edition of Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in October.
Proudly presented by R|Elan, the next-generation fabric brand of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), in partnership with the United Nations in India, the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC) is committed to reducing waste and fostering a greener, more sustainable future. The UK segment of CDC, held in collaboration with the British Council, aims to elevate eco-conscious creativity within the fashion industry on a global scale.
Mr. Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President- Head Marketing – Petrochemicals at Reliance Industries Limited present at the occasion in London commented, “The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge exemplifies Reliance Industries’ commitment to fostering sustainability and innovation within the fashion industry. We are immensely proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our talented designers, particularly Silvia Acién, who has been recognized as the winner of the UK Jury meet at the JCA | London Fashion Academy. This initiative highlights the potential of circular fashion to transform our industry and pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future. We look forward to the grand finale in India, where the global talent will come together to showcase their visionary solutions for waste reduction and sustainable design.”
The UK Jury for the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge featured a panel of industry experts, including: Rachel Arthur the Sustainable Fashion Advocay Lead at UNEP, Sevra Davis the Director of Architecture Design and Fashion at the British Council, Jennifer Droguett Espinosa the Creative Director & Fashion Designer at Aciela , Mark Eley the MA Prorgamme Lead at the Jimmy Choo Acadmey, Purnima Lamba the Global Brand Lead Unilever, and Ella Bulley a Material Designer & Artist .
The grand finale will unfold in October in India. The winner of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC) will be bestowed with a seed fund of GBP 14000, the CDC Trophy, and a 6-month mentorship. Additionally, they will earn the spotlight with a standalone showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2024.
Silvia Acién will join the other finalists of the EU, APAC, and India juries in Delhi in October. The journey to India will be inspiring, as all the finalists will engage with each other and share their passion for sustainability and design.
Hannah Robinson, Senior Relationship Manager for Architecture Design Fashion, British Council, said, “We are thrilled of the decision for Silvia Acién to move represent the UK at Lakme Fashion Week in October. Her thoughtful approach to new technologies and innovation married with artisanship highly impressed the audience. We look forward to seeing her collection later this year.”
The Circular Design Challenge’s global reach is a milestone and a remarkable step towards a more sustainable and circular fashion industry. CDC partners across borders include the British Council for the UK, Redress for Hong Kong/Asia Pacific, and Istituto Marangoni for The European Union.
About Reliance Industries Limited:
Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 10,00,122 crore (US$ 119.9 billion) and net profit of INR 79,020 crore (US$ 9.5 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2024. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail and digital services.
Currently ranked 88th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to be featured in Fortune’s Global 500 list of ‘World’s Largest Companies’ for 2023. The company stands 45th in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of ‘World’s Largest Public Companies’ for 2023, the highest among Indian companies. Reliance has been recognized in Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2024, marking the only Indian company to have achieved this honor twice. Reliance is the top-ranked Indian company and the only one in the top 100 on Forbes’ ‘World’s Best Employers’ 2023 list. Additionally, it is featured among LinkedIn’s ‘Top Companies 2023: The 25 Best Workplaces To Grow Your Career In India.’ Website: www.ril.com
About R|Elan™:
R|Elan™ is the next-gen fabric, that has been created from specially engineered fibres and yarns using cutting-edge technological expertise, state-of-the-art R&D, and the robust testing systems of Reliance Industries. These smart fabrics have been designed to enhance comfort and aesthetics and it is being increasingly sought-after fabric by renowned domestic and global brands, retailers, and apparel manufacturers. The technologies that power R|Elan™ fabric imparts several attributes such as moisture management, odor-free, and thermal insulation while ensuring that they contribute something back to Mother Earth.
About United Nations in India:
The United Nations system in India includes 26 organisations that have the privilege to serve in India. The Resident Coordinator, the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General to the Government leads the UN Country Team to advocate the mandate of the United Nations, while drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family. For more information, please visit: india.un.org
About the British Council:
The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding, and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. With an outreach of 650 million people in 2021-22.
Follow CDC on social media: Instagram: @CircularDesignChallenge
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With love,
FWO
