By Anna Thong April 06, 2019 
Bethany Williams and The Duchess of Cornwall (Photo: Courtesy of Bethany Williams London)
British Designer and fashion activist Bethany Williams has been announced as one of the eight finalists of the LVMH Prize. Since its launch in 2014, the Prize has scouted out the best young and emerging talent from all areas of the globe. This year, London based designer Bethany Williams is up for a chance to win €300,000, as well as personalised mentoring from the LVMH Group for an entire year. The prestigious prize helps winners with all aspects of the fashion process, starting from production and distribution all the way to advertising and marketing.
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The 28-year-old London College of Fashion graduate is committed to reinventing the fashion system, aiding minorities in the process. Her inspiring design ethos tackles both social and environmental issues whilst creating fashion forward, gender-neutral streetwear with a social conscience.
William’s work shines a light on some of Britain’s most prominent problems, ranging from homelessness, domestic abuse and environmental change. Working with charities, prisons and local communities, Williams’ is a pioneering design activist. One of her most recent collections, ‘Adelaide House,’ immensely supported a women’s shelter facility based in Liverpool, England. Twenty per cent of the proceeds from sales go back into the house, which provides a safe place for homeless women or those dealing with domestic violence.
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The concept of sustainability is also at the forefront of Williams’ ethos. By integrating upcycling within her sourcing strategy, Williams’ aims to popularise the alternative systems of fashion production that don’t comprise the environment and resources of the world. For Williams’, addressing the issues of resource depletion and climate change are paramount. She believes that making products that can be recycled and reconstructed should be the future of luxury fashion. Earlier this year, the activist sourced book waste from the Hachette publishing company in the UK to break down and make into recycled cloth for her outerwear. The waste was then taken to the San Patrignano drug rehabilitation community in Italy, where she and her team then wove the waste into fabric by hand.
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In February of this year, her dedication and efforts were recognised as she was presented with her second Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design by the Duchess of Cornwall. The winner of the 2019 LVMH Prize will be announced this June, after the jury comprising of Edward Enninful, Naomi Campbell and Aimee Song, meets with the finalists at The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.
(See also: ‘Little Wild’ By HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Exhibits At Leica Gallery)
