DEUTSCH > Medien Information 2006
Juni Rafael Gomes erhält den Triumph Fashion Award
Juni Mode macht Meinung
Mai Die 7 Selected - Mozart hätte sich sofort verliebt!
Februar Rafael Gomes im ARTE TV Portrait
Jänner Mozarts Liebe

Medien Information 2005 >

ENGLISH > Media Information 2006
June Award Celebration for Rafael Gomes
June Fashion forms Opinion
May The 7 Selected - Mozart would love it!
February Rafael Gomes in ARTE TV
January Mozart's Love

Media information 2005 >

Media information, June 2006

Please download the photos about the Triumph International Fashion Award Celebration and the swimwear/lingerie show by Triumph, Sloggi, Valisere and HOM directly from the pressroom of Triumph International www.triumph.com/press

Triumph Fashion Award Celebration for the Brazilian Designer Rafael Gomes
The young Brazilian designer Rafael Gomes honoured with the Triumph Fashion Award 2005 in front of 1.000 guests at a multi-media show. The international star Boy George was the DJ of the night.

On Saturday, June 10th 2006, Rafael Gomes was awarded with the Triumph International Fashion Award 2005 in the emerging capital for electronic music, Graz in Austria. The motto of the Triumph Fashion Award has been: „Dress up the Pin-up for a glamorous party”. With 700 submitted designs from 40 countries, and prizes as well as international presentations in the value of about 100.000 euros the Triumph International Fashion Award is one of the most popular international fashion design prizes.

In a public online-voting the 3 Finalists Fiorenza from Italy, Susanne Zaspel from Germany, and Rafael Gomes from Brazil were selected by more than 11.000 registered fashionistas. An international jury of 19 experts from the USA, Asia, Europe and New Zealand has chosen the winner of the Triumph International Fashion Award 2005: RAFAEL GOMES. He has created the most fascinating interpretation of a fashionable Pin-Up.

The Weekend Vee:club in Graz is famous for the creation of new virtual spaces of music, light, video and computer technology. In this artistic frame the creations of the winner Rafael Gomes and the two finalists Fiorenza and Susanne Zaspel have been presented to an enthusiastic audience.

Everybody knows Boy George from his successful times of Culture-Club, insiders love him as a DJ. The DJ Gigs of Boy George at the most important catwalks of the world are legendary. He plays the music for the shows and mixes the music for the glamorous after-show parties at famous fashion houses like Versace or Philip Treacy.

Creation by Rafael Gomes (C) Rafael Gomes/Triumph International Fashion Award 2005

Rafael Gomes’ breathtaking evening dresses represent the glamorous wedding of seductive lingerie with Haute Couture. The skirt part consists of interwoven stockings or bra straps. Rafael Gomes places the corsages and bras of Triumph International in the centre of his creations.

Rafael Gomes describes his inspiration for the Pin-up as follows: "This year's motto for the Fashion Award immediately fascinated me. I sat there for hours and tried to design clothes which granted looks at the Triumph lingerie. Discontent met me. I was sorry to cover the parts to which I wanted to give effect. Basta! I disengaged from the idea underwear belongs to be covered. This was the idea! The Pin-up of today carries the “under” as part of “outer” wear. The self-confidence of women has changed! In Triumph lingerie the Pin-up completely secures her glamorous appearance! The materials are so various, of highly quality and feminine that they will perfectly fit for the Oscar’s Night." Rafael Gomes

The Brazilian born fashion designer Rafael Gomes, now living in Munich and studying at the ‘Deutsche Meisterschule für Mode’ (German Master School for Fashion), is the darling of the media: in January 2006 the German newspaper ‘Welt’ has published an enthusiastic article and in February the team of the TV station ARTE worked on a documentary about Rafael Gomes.

The success series continues: in November 2005 Gomes was looking for the next challenge and was elected among the winners at the competition ‘WeltGewänder 2005’ of the ‘Welthungerhilfe’ (German Agro Action).

Susanne Zaspel’s Pin-Up with the title "Jellyfish in Heaven" was one of the most favored by the internet users and the jury of experts. Her Pin-Up reminds of a baroque porcelain figure: it’s fragilely and lovely is wrapped in fine tulle which catches the eye for a breathtaking glance at the pleasure promising gleam of luxurious lingerie.

“I don’t understand the Pin-up as a bearish object. For me it’s a symbol of refined sex appeal, sometimes it appears to be naive, but without being stupid or empty, sometimes there is a breath of glamour and opulently around the Pin-Up.” Susanne Zaspel

Susanne Zaspel, born in Chemnitz, Germany, has studied at the University for Art and Design at Burg Giebichenstein/Halle. Her master thesis had the title "The Animal in Me". She works for her own label "HUNTING HIGH" as an independent fashion designer and illustrator in New York, Paris and Amsterdam.

Since May 2006 Susanne Zaspel has expanded her label. She is now working on a new line which could be described as „Chic meets Street Couture“. Brand new fabrics produced with innovative technology make Susanne Zaspel’s collection unique. The new technology, developed by Zaspel, is at this time “Top-Secret”.

“I love to observe people. Everything is an inspiration for me: the hectic time all over a town, people pass, glances by going, fondling a velvet cat fur, a night of dance or a night of love. With all of these modules I’m playing and compile them in a completely new way. I invent sensually images which I would like to donate back. As a cosmopolitan I know about the importance of the balance between expression and self protection. I like to combine that. My fashion experience should give space for one’s self, for the sexy super-heroine or the cat, which just want to hear her own purring.” Susanne Zaspel

Fiorenza presents with the work for the Triumph International Fashion Award 2005 the most important characteristic that makes a designer special: Fiorenza has the great talent to express Zeitgeist in fashion. The sisters Patrizia and Samanta Fiorenza have sent the London Punk of the 70ies with a Neo Baroque touch on a time travel to the present. The wild revolt of the 60s/70s swings in Fiorenza's fashion.

These designers create beautifully bias cut pieces that are not for the shy and retiring: “The Fiorenza woman is a natural for pin-up status ... she expects to walk into a crowded room knowing it will fall silent as all gazes fall upon her ... scenes of frenzied photography in the crowded alleyways of Venice have been known, with people risking a fall into a nearby canal just to get a glimpse of 'that woman in that dress'.” Fiorenza

Fiorenza is the designer label of the sisters Patrizia and Samanta Fiorenza. Both have studied at the Central St. Martins School in London and have their own studio in Venice now; Samanta designs jewellery, Patrizia creates fashion. Fiorenza’s fashion concepts for the Triumph Award connect the worlds of jewellery and fashion in a surprising and organic way.

Duality is the philosophy of Fiorenza and which has become its signature. The Anglo-Italian references are apparent in all their collections creating a mix of classic tailoring skills and traditional Venetian hand beading, fused with a sexy, witty and innovative way of dressing and bejewelling the body.

The label continues to receive press attention from Marie-Claire, Figaro Japon, Harper's Bazaar, In Style-U.K, Time Out, Orient Express Magazine, Venice Revisited and Design-Venice due out for the Venice Biennale 2005. They have also designed collections for Miss Italia 2003 and were finalists for the MittelModa Fashion Design Award 2004.

The public voting for the selection of the 3 Finalists for the Triumph International Fashion Award 2006 takes place on fashionoffice.org/triumph until 20th July 2006.

• Tatiana Pogrebnyak Ukraine, living in Israel
• Paz Soto Salinas Chile, living in Germany
• Minh Tran Vietnam, , living in Germany
• Kirsten Hiller Austrian-American
• Cristina Valls Spain
• Carina Henrich Germany
• Angelika Wöss Austria, studies in Munich

438 designers from Japan, China, USA, France, Finland, South Africa, Israel, Iran, Siberia, Philippines, etc. have sent more than 1,500 drawings for the interpretation of Modern Rococo.

Photos, text about Triumph International www.triumph.com/press

Contact Dr. Karin Sawetz, fashionoffice.org Tel +43.1.76985-101 home@fashionoffice.org