REAL LEATHER. STAY DIFFERENT. 2024 ANNOUNCES JUDGING PANEL

The 2024 Real Leather. Stay Different. competition's judging panel includes Hugo Boss' Christopher Köerber, stylist Mike Adler, CEO Matteo Mastrotto, and more.

LONDON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, August 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- REAL LEATHER. STAY DIFFERENT. 2024 ANNOUNCES JUDGING PANEL

● Christopher Koerber, of Hugo Boss Ticino, leads panel including celebrity stylist Mike Adler, Matteo Mastrotto, CEO of Rino Mastrotto, former RLSD footwear category winner (and now Christian Louboutin's) Anna Melegh and fashion education expert Adrien Yakimov Roberts
● Visit https://chooserealleather.com/

In partnership with Arts Thread, the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition has revealed its judging panel for its 2024 edition. Returning for a third-year running is Christopher Köerber, Managing Director of Hugo Boss Ticino, who will be joined by an exciting cast of industry professionals including renowned celebrity stylist Mike Adler, Matteo Mastrotto, CEO of leading international leather supplier Rino Mastrotto, 2022 footwear category winner Anna Melegh (now with Christian Louboutin) and Fashion Education Consultant Adrien Yakimov Roberts.

Developed by the Leather & Hide Council of America (LHCA), Real Leather. Stay Different (RLSD) celebrates talented young designers utilizing leather as a natural alternative to fast fashion. The competition is open to current students and recent graduates (2022 + 2023). Participants are encouraged to create a bespoke leather item using 50% or more cattle-hide leather that falls into one of three categories: clothing, footwear, or accessory. These items should be designed not only to last, but to be cherished for a lifetime.

Addressing the pressing issue of fast fashion's environmental impact, participants are encouraged to use natural materials. With an alarming 132 million hides wasted worldwide annually, there's a critical need to shift towards a more circular approach. By repurposing by-products from the meat and dairy industries, leather production actively reduces waste, preventing millions of tonnes of hides from entering landfills every year - and directly preventing the release of CO2 and other harmful emissions.

Kerry Brozyna, President of the Leather and Hide Council of America, expressed his enthusiasm about the judging panel, stating:

“We’re delighted to have assembled such a distinguished panel of judges for this year’s competition. The continued support of Christopher Koerber from Hugo Boss is invaluable to us, reflecting his deep commitment to innovation and mentoring in the fashion industry. The insights provided by Mike Adler and his crowd-friendly delivery bring a unique perspective about style and trends.”

“We’re excited to welcome Adrien Yakimov Roberts, whose expertise in fashion education will undoubtedly inspire and guide our participants. Additionally, it's a pleasure to see Anna Melegh return, now thriving in her career at Christian Louboutin, which underscores the impact and opportunities this competition provides for young designers. We look forward to seeing the incredible designs that will emerge from this year's entries."

All winning designs will be included in a capsule collection showcased at the live competition final hosted at the U.S. Embassy in London on 23rd September 2024. The competition closed for entries on 30th June 2024. Category winners will be revealed shortly.

To date the campaign, active globally with regional promotions in markets such as China Mainland, Italy, the Nordics region (five countries), the Philippines, Taiwan region and ten countries in Africa in partnership with ALLPI, has engaged hundreds of millions of consumers. Thousands of fashion and design students from 245 universities across more than 45 countries have participated in the campaign, with its social media program delivering hundreds of thousands of engagements annually.

-ENDS-

ABOUT THE RLSD 2024 JUDGES

Christopher Koerber | Managing Director, HUGO BOSS:
Christopher has spent most of his professional life in the fashion industry, from senior executive roles at Tommy Hilfiger to the current Managing Director of Hugo Boss. He is known as a change agent, an innovative, big-picture thinker, a strong cross-functional collaborator, and a powerful motivator and mentor who raises the performance of diverse, global teams. His expertise encompasses operations, strategy, brand management, innovation, and consumer-centric products at all stages of the life cycle.

Matteo Mastrotto | CEO, Rino Mastrotto:
Matteo is the CEO of Rino Mastrotto, a company specialising in the production of high-quality leather, textiles and bespoke services for luxury sectors. Under his leadership, the company has seen significant growth and strategic acquisitions to diversify and enhance their product offerings.

Matteo emphasises the importance of sustainability and innovation, ensuring the company's commitment to ethical practices and environmental stewardship. His approach integrates traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, aiming to inspire and support clients in the luxury fashion, automotive and interior design industries.

Mike Adler | Celebrity Stylist:
Celebrity fashion stylist Mike Adler works between Los Angeles, London, Paris and NYC. His client base sees him creating style and wardrobe content for the world’s leading red carpet and Hollywood awards events. As well as campaign, editorial, luxury private consultancy and the Paris Haute Couture seasons, he has worked with the likes of Elizabeth Hurley, Alessandra Ambrosio, Pamela Anderson, Maisie Williams, Elle Macpherson, Kat Graham, Josh O’Connor, Emma Corrin, Emerald Fennell, Damian Hurley and more.

Anna Melegh | Care and Repair Coordinator, Christian Louboutin:
Anna Melegh is a footwear and accessories designer known for using the methods of surrealism to turn everyday objects inside out. Anna is currently working at luxury footwear brand Christian Louboutin as a Care and Repair Coordinator. With almost a decade of education focused on art and shoe design, her innovative approach has ensured her work has quickly gained recognition. This includes winning the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Footwear, UK Overall and UK Footwear categories in 2022.

Adrien Yakimov Roberts | Fashion Education Consultant:
Adrien is a considerable influence on global fashion education. Currently, the International Director of Education at Accademia Costume & Moda in Rome and Milan, Italy, he was also chair of GFWi and an International Trustee of the Graduate Fashion Foundation for over 16 years.

A Central Saint Martin’s alumnus, he completed a Parsons New School (New York) exchange, secured a Master’s degree at the Royal College of Art and a Postgraduate from the University of the Arts London. He was Fashion Programme Leader at the University for the Creative Arts, Group Director of Education at Istituto Marangoni (Milan, London and Paris) before his current role.

Greg Moore
gt&i Limited (on behalf of RLSD)
+44 7748 968695
greg@gtandi.co.uk
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2024 Real Leather. Stay Different. promotional video