Zalando Visionary Award

1. What has winning the Zalando Visionary Award revealed to you? Not about your brand, but about how the world sees your brand?

It revealed that the world is finally tuning into frequencies we've always been emitting—frequencies rooted in ancestral knowledge, material intelligence, and cultural continuity. The recognition was proof that people are beginning to see beyond aesthetics and into intention.

2. Awards often offer visibility, but what kinds of deeper exchange do you hope to build through Zalando’s support, be it the mentorship, or the network behind the prize?

I’m interested in systems—how this platform can facilitate cross-cultural research, ethical production pathways, and long-term support for material economies across the continent. I hope to exchange not just knowledge, but frameworks for sustainable sovereignty.

3. Why is it important for you to keep creation close to home, and to centre these ‘forgotten historical narratives’ in a global fashion system that often overlooks them?

Keeping creation close to home allows us to unearth them on our terms, through our hands. It’s an act of resistance, but also of reclamation. We’re not inserting ourselves into fashion’s history—we’re reminding it of its roots.

4. IAMISIGO often merges ancient techniques with future-forward materials, so, if your SS26 collection had to be understood as a kind of time travel, where exactly is it taking us?

It takes us to the in-between: the liminal space where ancestors meet algorithms, where spirit tech and biotechnology are not separate but symbiotic.

5. How do you know when something is finished, when your work celebrates anti-finishing? What makes a piece ‘complete’ in your world?

A piece is never really done—it’s paused. It lives, breathes, unravels, and mutates. I consider something ‘complete’ when it begins to communicate back to me—when it starts carrying its own energy into the world. When I’m designing the piece is really only ready when it leaves my hands and gets onto the runway.

6. Much of your work deals with the spiritual body, so, when designing for the runway, how do you stage something that’s not meant to be seen, but felt?

Nothing is staged. Everything exists just as it has to in this world. It is a question of looking a bit closer. On the continent, things exist now as they were centuries ago. We just have big concrete cities now to mask all of that. But spirituality is still deeply embedded in the land. I think when I visit these spaces and make them, I’m just stirring the pot. What you see in the show is the fumes from all of this spirituality cooking.

7. Is there a material you’ve encountered recently that frightened or overwhelmed you, creatively, spiritually, or otherwise?

Yes—tempered glass. So precise, yet fragile. Its false sense of strength mirrored something in me. It forced me to reflect on the illusion of control in creation. It also made me curious about the invisible tensions materials hold.

8. There’s a recurring theme in your work around portals — to ancestry, to alternative futures. What’s the last personal or creative portal you walked through that changed you?  

Abidjan. I fell in love with the city when I went there to work on the collection in May.

9. Your research spans cities, villages, spirit realms. Where does knowledge travel fastest, and where does it get lost?

It travels fastest through the body. Movement, dance, repetition—those are archives. But knowledge gets lost in translation—when we try to fit fluid systems into rigid structures. Oral traditions don't fit neatly into Dropbox folders.

10. What’s the biggest misconception you think the fashion industry still holds about “heritage” or “craft”?

That heritage is static and craft is quaint. Both are living technologies. Craft is not just skill—it’s cosmology. Heritage isn’t backwards-looking—it’s the past, the present and the future. It is strategic memory and the industry often commodifies both without understanding the systems they emerge from.

11. IAMISIGO often functions as a living archive, and so, are there any stories, voices, or techniques you feel responsible for protecting right now?

Yes, there are—too many to mention, and I’m not sure I can fully articulate a complete response right now, because the responsibility is a profound one. But I carry with me the stories of women weavers whose hands remember more than books ever could.  For example, the oral dyeing rituals passed down in hushed tones. The philosophies embedded in folding, wrapping, and stitching—acts often dismissed as domestic, but deeply intellectual. I feel responsible for preserving these not just through documentation, but through activation—by centering them in contemporary contexts, and ensuring they are not just seen, but valued, protected, and paid.

12. If IAMISIGO were to evolve into something that isn’t a fashion label, what form would it take next?

A collective. A tribe. A space where creativity is fluid and purposefully uncontained. IAMISIGO would evolve into a roaming academy, a cultural sanctuary, a research institute that merges material science with ritual practice and spiritual inquiry. It’s always been more than fashion—it’s a living system of re-memory and re-imagination.

13. You once said your work is about removing the construct of borders. What new border are you currently trying to dissolve, and why?

The border between the spiritual and the technological. They are not opposites. I’m interested in coding as ceremony, in data as an ancestor. Dissolving that binary could unlock an entirely new way of designing—and of being.

The Zalando Visionary Award 2025 jury consists of five industry experts who all hold relevant expertise and credible knowledge that allow them to review brands based on the three Zalando Award pillars; Social Impact, Innovation and Design. 

Joining Zalando’s SVP Product Design Anne Pascual in the jury are Edward Buchanan, Creative Director SANSOVINO6 and Milano Fashion Director Perfect Magazine; Emma Matell, industry leading Casting Director; Giuliano Calza, Founder and Creative Director GCDS and Herbert Hofmann, VP of Creative and Buying at Highsnobiety. 

Each jury member brings a wealth of experience and is recognised for their progressive and influential voices in the fashion industry.

“In Conversation With the Zalando Visionary Award Jury” offers insight into the perspectives of this year's jury - from their views on the winning brand, to the award and the wider industry landscape.
 
This candid Q&A brings together leading industry voices - Edward Buchanan, Giuliano Calza, Herbert Hofmann, and Emma Matell - for a conversation on what it truly means to be “visionary” in fashion today, reflecting on the defining moments and shared values that led to the selection of IAMISIGO as this year’s Zalando Visionary Award winner.
 
Joining them is Sara Spännar, Zalando’s VP Global Marketing, who shares the platform’s broader mission: not just to celebrate talent, but to spotlight those reshaping fashion through social impact, innovation, and design. Together, the jury explores the urgent shifts the industry needs - and their hopes for a more creative, inclusive, and conscious future.

Q1. You’ve each judged awards before, but what made you say yes to this one? What felt different about the Zalando Visionary Award?

Giuliano:
I’ve been in this business for 10 years and always felt like the youngest in the room. I started feeling a bit removed from the new generation, and I found it incredible to be close to these young, incredible artists and designers. It’s an experience no one else could offer me. The Zalando Visionary Award, to me, stands for what’s new and what’s to come. It’s also about learning from the new generation. I loved working with people from different places in the world—it’s helped me step outside my own bubble.

Herbert:
I completely agree. I’m in my own taste and business bubble, and this challenges me. I love being around people who know more about fashion history and can see beyond what I usually see. This has been such a learning experience. We also had deep discussions this year about what the word “visionary” means for Zalando, the award, and the winner. I’ve judged many other awards, but this one has felt particularly interesting because of those conversations.

Sara:
I’ve actually been heavily involved in shaping the award itself—highlighting visionary thinking, innovation, and diversity. Zalando has a different position in the industry than designers, but we’re very much part of the fashion world and we see our role as being an enabler. That’s why we started this—to give designers a platform and a stage. We can see the increasing interest, and we want to keep building on that momentum.

​​Edward:
I've judged many awards and sat on a lot of panels, but this one stood out because of its emphasis on innovation — not just design for today's market, but real creative risk. Most awards honour good design, but this one asked: what does innovation mean in fashion today? It centred creativity, social impact, and new ways of thinking. That felt novel and necessary.

Q2. Has being part of this jury changed how you see your own work, or what you consider “visionary” in fashion right now?

Emma:
Yes, I think so. Many of the designers involved feel like my peers—people I know or know of, and I’ve followed their journeys. They’re constantly pushing new directions. My work is about inclusivity in casting and how brands present themselves, and I find it really inspiring that the brands in this award genuinely embody diversity and inclusion both inside and outside the brand. It’s not necessarily changed how I work, but it’s definitely inspired me. It’s so important to surround yourself with people and communities that push you to do more. The brands we’ve seen in this award are doing really important work on both the inside and outside.

Edward:
For me, “visionary” has always required risk. Not just aesthetic risk, but challenging systems — doing things differently even when it might slow you down or make things harder. Watching these designers work outside the traditional fashion structures reminded me that vision is also about belief — holding onto your identity and building something consistent, honest and purposeful, even when it doesn’t follow the rules.

Giuliano part:
The world is full of products right now—you can find three versions of anything in a second. Vision has to be about the future—about creating a full-circle moment where materials and production are approached in a way that’s responsible and respectful to both our communities and the environment. That’s my biggest hope for what visionary can mean.

Q3. When you're in the room debating who to award, what are the conversations that get really passionate? Where do you disagree?

Herbert:
What’s interesting is that even though we come from very different backgrounds and tastes, we usually agree on the top three brands. I always ask, “Who would this award really change things for?” Who would benefit the most? All three finalists this year were strong, and while I initially leaned in a different direction, the discussion among the jury was thoughtful and emotive — and ultimately led us to a shared decision we all felt proud of.

Giuliano:
Fashion sometimes makes you feel like you can’t make change, but these brands offer refreshing ideas that prove otherwise. Bubu’s approach to sourcing natural materials from across Africa gave me so much hope. I’ve tried similar things before but found the logistics impossible. I really hope we can help these kinds of ideas succeed.

Edward:
The real passion comes when we talk about what the future of fashion should look like, and who gets to shape it. We talk about inclusivity from the inside out, and how often the industry defaults to the same kinds of people at the top. This award gave space to voices we don’t always hear, and that sparked serious conversation, not just about creativity, but about power and representation in the industry.

Q4. Do you remember the exact moment you knew IAMISIGO should win? What was the tipping point?

Emma:
There were three incredible finalists who all deserved the award, and I had moments of being drawn to all of them. But when I saw Bubu’s materials and the construction of her garments up close, I thought, "Okay, this is it." There was such a strong point of view. From the very beginning, even when reviewing the initial applications, their work stood out. I remember thinking, "Why don’t I know them already? They’re incredible."

Sara:
All three finalists were super strong, but Bubu brought an especially unique perspective. She brought something genuinely new, and that became clear towards the end of the process. It wasn’t just about what was well-made; it was about her unique vision and what she was offering to the fashion world.

Giuliano:
What really stood out to me was that Zalando recognised a designer whose work is deeply meaningful and rooted in strong values. It showed a real commitment to championing vision — not just what’s trending or commercially obvious.

Sara:
It’s important to weigh in the commercial perspective, but this award isn’t just about what will sell easily—it’s about showing alternative perspectives in fashion. It felt important to spotlight a voice that challenges the norm in a meaningful way.

Q5. During the Zalando Visionary Award showcase in January, Bubu demonstrated an approach that is personal, spiritual, and pan-African. Was there a moment—a look, a reference, a feeling—that stayed with you?

Giuliano:
I remember talking to Bubu about a beautiful crochet piece made from fabric that’s carved from the surface of a tree—the tree doesn’t get harmed. It was almost magical to hear about that process. It felt like something out of the Avatar movie. It really inspired me and made me think about how we can elevate these voices that are doing something truly special and meaningful.

Edward:
Absolutely. For Bubu, sustainability isn’t a buzzword,  it’s just a way of life. When she spoke about her materials, the depth of her knowledge was incredible. She knew where everything came from and why it mattered. That honesty and craft is visionary in itself. It felt like watching someone lead a conversation that many in fashion are only just beginning to have.

Q6. The award is called “Visionary”. What does that actually mean to you right now — and what does fashion most urgently need vision for?

Giuliano:
I think it comes back to what we were just talking about—being genuinely yourself and staying true to your own vision. A lot of people don’t get accepted for doing things outside the norm, and that can make them afraid to show their true colours. I’d rather see brands that fully commit to their own stories, even if they’re not ticking every box.

Emma:
The hunger for purity and undistorted vision is really strong right now, especially for younger generations. They want work that isn’t shaped by external pressures but is truly authentic. That’s what makes Bubu’s work so exciting.

Giuliano:
People are really searching for one-of-a-kind pieces now, and I think that’s because we’ve been overloaded with mass-produced trends. I made a shoe with Dracula teeth that people laughed at, but I believed in it, and it became a bestseller. That’s what makes me different.

Q7. There’s a lot of talk about “new systems”—local voices, slow fashion, digital tools. What shift feels most urgent to you right now — and which one do you think is getting overlooked?

Giuliano:
There’s a growing sense of guilt in the system. Creatives are being pushed to sell more and appeal to more people, and in the process, they lose their individuality. People are craving niches and weirdness, but the system forces everything to become mass appeal.

Herbert:
The industry doesn’t give new ideas enough time to breathe. Great products need time to be understood—they shouldn’t just be put on sale immediately if they don’t instantly succeed. I saw this recently with Dries Van Noten’s final show—it reminded me that fashion can still genuinely move people if it’s given the space to do so.

Giuliano:
The ‘globalisation of beauty’ has made everything look the same—everybody dresses the same, eats the same, wants the same. Trends like minimalism, white t-shirts, specific shoes—everyone is chasing the same aesthetic and forgetting their own individuality.

Herbert:
Even I’ve found myself struggling to get dressed because I don’t want to align with any of these over-saturated trends—whether it’s the Solomons, the loafers, or the basics. It’s hard to feel individual now.

Giuliano:
The pressure to grow a brand endlessly is killing creativity. People need to be allowed to build small, sustainable communities around their work rather than feeling they must become the next big trend.

Edward:
The biggest issue is power and who holds it, and who gets to decide what’s valid in fashion. We keep talking about change, but if the same people are at the top, nothing really shifts. Our industry lacks substantial support for creatives from disadvantaged communities - the Black and Brown voices, the women. We need to promote more diverse perspectives, and support people building their own systems outside the mainstream. That's where true progress lies.

Q8. Inclusion is one of the most talked-about topics in fashion right now. But what does genuine progress actually look like now?

Emma:
Right now, we’re seeing a huge regression. A few years ago, there was a real push for inclusion in casting, sizing, and representation—but now, the model agencies are sending me the same type of girl, and clients are asking for the same. It’s like all that progress has evaporated.

Emma:
Real inclusion comes from who’s in power—who’s making the clothes, who’s funding the projects. It has to be authentic, not performative. It has to start from inside the brand and ripple out. It’s not enough to avoid cancellation for a season and then revert back.

Sara:
That’s why this award matters—we need to keep pushing initiatives that spotlight different perspectives. The fashion industry often defaults to what they think the customer wants, but we actually see positive responses from customers when we challenge the norm and show more diverse work.

Emma:
When you do shows like Sinéad’s — Sinéad O’Dwyer, last year’s Zalando Visionary Award winner — there’s always incredible feedback from people who feel seen. But, it’s still so hard to push those ideas forward in the broader system. It’s often younger brands who lead this, and they need to be caught and supported to keep going.

Edward:
We can’t talk about moving into the future if we don’t start to see more women promoted in design, and more women’s ideas and characteristics reflected. Diversity has to start from the inside out—not just images, but who holds the power.

Q9. If you had to describe this year’s winner in one word, what would it be?

Sara:
Genuine. Bubu is so true to herself. That’s what really stands out—her authenticity in a world full of trends.

Giuliano:
She’s not following trends—she’s doing what’s meaningful to her. Even if her story doesn’t resonate with everyone, she’s staying true to it.

Emma:
Authentic. The authenticity of her work is what makes it so important and powerful. I’m going to be working on casting for her upcoming show, and I’m excited to see how her vision unfolds in a challenging environment like Copenhagen.

Herbert:
Global. The research Bubu is doing is deeply rooted in her own perspective, but it’s also connected to a wider world. She’s travelled, compared techniques, and brought those influences into her work with a cultural and educational depth that’s really powerful.

Edward:
Legendary. It doesn’t happen often that a platform offers a clear and honest space for a Black woman — and not because she ticks a box, but because her creativity truly deserves it. That’s legendary.

The three Zalando Visionary Award 2025 finalists, FEBEN, IAMISIGO and Rave Review were selected for their dedication to reshaping fashion through bold creativity and commitment to inclusivity and design. With each brand challenging conventions and offering new perspectives on what it means to drive positive change in fashion.

FEBEN, the London based brand, draws inspiration from a global tapestry of influences, with its innovative work redefining contemporary fashion with a unique and visionary perspective. Nigerian based brand IAMISIGO pioneers innovation by blending heritage textiles with traditional craft techniques drawn from across Africa and Stockholm based Rave Review use of deadstock to create new and fresh designs, breathes new life into second hand materials.

The finalists showcased their collections in January 2025 at CPHFW as part of the Zalando Visionary Award. Following the finalist showcase and panel talk the jury named IAMISIGO winner of the Zalando Visionary Award. As part of the winning prize, IAMISIGO will present their SS26 runway show at CPHFW in August 2025.

Here, you will find all Zalando Visionary Award press photos for download.

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