From the Sector

Rosemary Moore, inventor of the original and ground-breaking 4 way stretch and crinkle fabric, together with Graduate Fashion Foundation has announced the shortlisted 3 finalists in an international fashion design competition.

Students from the leading fashion and design universities across the UK and internationally were challenged to design a trend led womenswear S/S 2026 capsule collection utilising the famous MAXXAM® fabrics. Celebrating the fabric’s history the range had to be timeless, multi-purpose and include a minimum of one piece of swimwear.  

Judged by Rosemary and the team at Graduate Fashion Foundation, a shortlist of 3 winners has been announced.

• Ivo Gomes - Solent University, Fashion Design
• Ella Brooks-Birkett - Manchester Fashion Institute @ The Manchester Metropolitan University, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
• Paballo Mafokate - STADIO School of Fashion, Honours in Fashion

Rosemary said, “It has been incredibly exciting to work on this project with Graduate Fashion Foundation and all the leading universities across the country and abroad. I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the number of entries we received and the passion and talent that the students have demonstrated. It has been really difficult to narrow down more than 40 entries to a shortlist of 10 students, who I was lucky enough to meet in person, and even harder to get to our 3 finalists, Ivo, Ella and Paballo.

All the applicants for the competition displayed a very high standard of creativity and imagination and in the end, we had to look at the finer details of the actual designs and the commerciality for carrying them forward.

Rosemary Moore invented the unique MAXXAM® fabric in the early 1980s which took the fashion world by storm and became renowned for its 4-way stretch, tactile characteristics, and one-size-fits-all seamless clothing used predominantly for adult clothing and swimwear

Ivo displayed a fresh approach using laser cutting concepts and the novelty for reusing the waste in other aspects of the design creation. His laser designs offered versatility when intermixing the separate parts to dress up or down for a week away. Paballo impressed with her collection theme and her creativity as it offered a real sincerity to the origins of her landscape combining the waste and traditional techniques of Artisans in South Africa. Ella gave a fresh youthful approach to the styling of her separates with well-considered use of our textiles to offer the freedom for intermixing from day into night and beach to trekking.

I’m thrilled to say the competition has showcased the best of our future fashion talent and we look forward to sharing the final winner at Graduate Fashion Week!”

The 3 finalists will showcase looks in the Graduate Fashion Week Gala Show and exhibition (13th- 16th June 2025 at the Truman Brewery, Shoreditch) where a final overall winner will be chosen to receive the coveted prize of working directly with Rosemary and her manufacturers on their designs with the chance of one of their pieces going into manufacture.  
Ivo Gomes commented, “Getting to this stage of the competition feels wonderful! To win the competition, I would feel like I had won in life! Regardless of the final result, it will have been a valuable learning experience and I value, learning above everything else.”

Ella Brooks-Birkett commented, “I’m super excited to get to this point in the competition, and I didn't expect it at all. It's such a great experience to come down to London for the live judging. I would be absolutely blown away if I won the competition because this is really out of my comfort zone, and I know to win would really get me started in the fashion industry.”

Paballo Mafokate said, “I'm truly honored to get to this stage of the competition and be recognised for my creativity.  To win a competition from a global fashion platform is not something that is familiar within the African continent, and I believe that it would be a beautiful moment and blessing for me and a jump start for my career in fashion.”

The students design journey can be followed on GFF social channels using the #GFFxMAXXAM.

The capacity crowd at the 41st annual Cornell Fashion Collective (CFC) Runway Show saw the mother of all fashion shows.

The annual event, held March 22 in Barton Hall, had one common thread – and it was not necessarily by design: Three designers asked their mothers to wear their designs on the runway. Several more designers’ mothers traveled to Ithaca to see the show, put on by the student-led organization; other designers were inspired by their grandparents.

“It’s unusual to have multiple mothers walk in one show,” said Kim Phoenix, senior lecturer in Human Centered Design in the College of Human Ecology and adviser to CFC. “Historically, a lot of moms pitch in behind the scenes to help with the sewing.”

After traveling five hours to model the collection of her son, Drew Brown ’25, Adria Brown was immediately pressed into service, practically pulling an all-nighter to help him get his design just right. Drew thanked his mom: “It was only through experiencing your embodiment of womanhood that I could produce this collection.”

Brown’s “Jadine” collection was inspired by the movement of water and used symbols from artists and intellectuals from Western Europe, West Africa and America.

Zoe Alvarez ’25 was inspired by the Flower Festival in Medellin, Colombia, where her father lives; her mother, Karen Lopez, modeled the final look in her collection. “Aflora” explored the beauty of flowers, as well as the important function they serve to support pollinators and sustain ecosystems. Each of the pieces in the collection has hidden adjustable features, like a tiered red ruffled skirt that can be unzipped to choose a mini, midi, tea length or floor length to fit the occasion.
A model displays an ensemble designed by Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26. , Click to open gallery view
Credit: Sreang Hok/Cornell University

A model displays an ensemble designed by Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26.

Her red leather jacket has a zipper under the belt, so it can be worn as a longer jacket dress to mid-thigh, or as a cropped jacket. Another look, a floral dress, is fully adjustable within a size range using a lace-up and belt buckle back closure. It’s also reversible to a solid maroon dress, and the bra top separates from the skirt, so it can be worn six different ways and fully adjusted.

“I wanted each look to incorporate functionality in a different way,” Alvarez said. “I want people to be comfortable in their clothes, and to be able to wear them in different settings and for different events. These garments are meant to be worn, cherished over a lifetime, and even passed down.”

Alvarez said her interest in adjustable clothing came from watching her mother struggle to find clothes that fit comfortably after experiencing the natural body changes that come with aging.

“I always disliked the idea of having to buy an entirely new wardrobe every time someone gained or lost weight,” she said. “That constant battle with clothing can really limit self-confidence and self- expression. It’s also just not sustainable to keep buying one time use garments.”

Zada Stuart ’25 paid homage in her collection, “Mother of the World,” which examined the exploitation of nature and sought to honor both mothers and cows for their duty of motherhood. Her designs included two cow fetuses laser-carved out of wood.

Designer Gabrielle Moore ’25 works on her model’s hair prior to the show.

Maria Fernanda Serra Almeida Leite ’26, CFC’s creative director, said her collection was inspired by her mother, and by the song of the Kiskadee bird, called “bem-te-vi” in Brazil. Her collection explored her emotional and physical attachment to the sounds of the Kiskadee bird, to Brazil and to her mother.

Gabrielle Moore ’25 was inspired by her Haitian grandfather to create “Anbla Dlo,” which imagines an underwater city off the coast of Haiti where history, mythology and fashion intertwine.

Marcus McDermott’s mother, Heidi, recounted her son’s lifelong interest in fashion. Even as a preteen, she said, he sported an orange fedora as his signature piece. Now, the senior is designing timeless menswear with an eye toward sustainability, reflected in his collection, “Immutable Beauty.”

McDermott’s collection illustrates how while one’s sense of style can change over time, certain classic pieces have an heirloom quality that never goes out of style.

“His interest in sustainability grew exponentially after a trip to Manhattan with a class where they saw how garments were mass produced,” Heidi McDermott said. “He’s now totally into material development and using organic and biologically sourced materials to make fabrics and dyes. That was definitely a Cornell influence.”

CARBIOS, a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, announces the resignation of Philippe Pouletty from term of office as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director, as well as from his term of office as Chief Executive Officer, a position he had accepted on a transitional basis on 18 December 2024.
 
The Board of Directors has taken note of this decision and thanks Philippe Pouletty for his contribution to CARBIOS' development.

The Board of Directors has appointed Isabelle Parize as Chairwoman of the Board and Vincent Kamel as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.
 
Continuing the work already undertaken, Vincent Kamel will focus on successfully executing CARBIOS' strategic objectives, including securing the additional financing needed to build its PET biorecycling plant in Longlaville.

Isabelle Parize is CEO of DELSEY. Isabelle Parize began her career at Procter & Gamble, where she held strategic positions in marketing and brand management for 13 years. She then joined Henkel as Vice President EMEA. On the strength of this experience, she became head of Canal Sat, the French media group. She then pursued her career in the beauty sector, becoming President of the Managing Board of Nocibé, one of France's leading perfume retailers, in 2011. In 2015, she was appointed Managing Director of Douglas AG, a European perfume giant, where she steered the company's expansion and modernization.
 
In 2018, she took a new role as CEO of DELSEY. Between 2021 and 2025, she will continue to support the Group as President of its Supervisory Board. Isabelle Parize has served on Coty Inc.'s Board since 2020.
 
Isabelle Parize has been a member of the CARBIOS Board of Directors since 2022.
 
Vincent Kamel, with over 38 years' experience in the polymer and chemical industries, has held management positions in companies such as Rhône-Poulenc, Rhodia and Solvay, both in France and abroad (China, South Korea, Brazil), notably as General Manager of Solvay's polyamide division, Director of the Coatis business unit and Director for Asia in the engineering plastics sector.
 
Vincent Kamel has been involved in CARBIOS’ development since 2021 as a member of the company's Board of Directors, and since December 2024, as an advisor to CARBIOS’ executive management.

RUDOLF, a leading global medium-sized specialty chemical company, is adopting a new management structure at the beginning of 2025 to accelerate the implementation of its strategic goals.

The aim remains to further strengthen RUDOLF‘s international market position and to sustainably, expand the company‘s innovative strength in an increasingly dynamic competitive environment.

The company appoints Marcos Furrer as CEO, Dr Gunther Duschek as CTOO and Dr Oliver Kusterle as CSO – Dr Wolfgang A. Schumann becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Global strategy - local execution
The reorganisation also underlines RUDOLF‘s commitment to remain a leading player in the speciality chemical industry and to make a sustainable contribution to the future of the textile, construction, paper and coating additives industries.

Change in the management structure
At the beginning of 2025, Mr Wolfgang Schumann and Dr Wolfgang A. Schumann will take over the chairmanship of the newly established Board of Directors as its Co-Chairs. In his new role, Dr Schumann will focus specifically on developing strategically important business in Asia in order to further expand the company‘s market position there.

‘It is with great pleasure and confidence that I hand over the role of CEO to Marcos Furrer. I am equally pleased that Dr Gunther Duschek as CTOO and Dr Oliver Kusterle as CSO, in their existing global responsibilities, will round off the operational management team in terms of continuity and commitment. This new management structure is a decisive step for the future of our company. It will apply from the beginning of 2025. In my new role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I will focus specifically on the development of the strategically important business in Asia and continue to be the point of contact for our joint ventures. I am convinced that this realignment will enable us to further expand and strengthen our market position. I would like to thank all employees for their commitment and support over the past years and look forward to continuing to advance the vision of RUDOLF together with the new management team and to serve our customers worldwide even better.’

Marcos Furrer has been appointed as the new CEO of the RUDOLF Group and will also take on the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). His many years of experience in the speciality chemical industry and his strategic insight make him the ideal person to drive RUDOLF‘s global vision forward.

‚I am very pleased to take on the role of CEO of the Rudolf Group. You can literally feel the Group‘s more than 100 years of activity in the textile chemical business. The excellent team and the special customer proximity are the cornerstones of our success, which I would like to build on in order to further develop the successful strategic path. I am convinced that with this new approach we will not only strengthen our international market position but also make our contribution to a sustainable future. Together with our dedicated team, I look forward to advancing the vision of RUDOLF and serving our customers worldwide even better.’

Denis Albert is to become the new Head of Business Group North America and member of the Group Executive Board of Autoneum Holding Ltd as of January 1, 2025. The French-American dual citizen has many years of experience as a general manager in the international automotive supply industry in North America. He will succeed Greg Sibley, who will retire at the end of January 2025.

The Board of Directors of Autoneum Holding Ltd has appointed Denis Albert as the new Head of Business Group North America and member of the Group Executive Board as of January 1, 2025. Denis Albert has been Head of Sales Development & Strategic Project Manager for Post Merger Integration (PMI) at Autoneum since January 2024. In addition to his new position, he will continue to assume the role of Head of Sales Development.

Before joining Autoneum, Denis Albert worked for the French automotive supplier Forvia (Faurecia) for over 25 years, where he held various management positions, most recently as President of the Faurecia Interior Division North America. Over the course of his career, he has acquired profound knowledge of the North American automotive market and extensive experience in sales, business management, implementation of regional strategies, purchasing and technology. Denis Albert holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the Institut Catholique d’Arts et Métiers in Nantes, France, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from the Mannheim Business School, Germany.

Following a one-month transition period, Denis Albert will take over as Head of Business Group North America from Greg Sibley, who will retire on January 31, 2025. Greg Sibley has steered Business Group North America through turbulent times since May 2019 and has made a decisive contribution to the turnaround in this region. The Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board would like to thank Greg for his significant and tireless commitment to Autoneum over the past five years and wish him all the best for his personal future.

eVent^®️ Fabrics, a global leader in waterproof and breathable laminates, announced the hiring of three key team members to assist with growing demand for the brand’s expanding line of performance laminates and recent expansion into the South Korean market. Founded in 1999, the company impressed the industry with the first air-permeable 100% waterproof membrane and continues to innovate with sustainable, high-performance textiles. eVent is globally recognized for its breathable waterproof solutions and commitment to reliable, high-performance laminates.

Recent hires include Bartosz Lassak to the US sales team and Xie Yi to engineer the next generation of eVent textiles. For the recent expansion into Korea, Terry Kim will assist as eVent’s Korean Market Consultant.

eVent’s recent expansion into the Korean market includes a new strategic partnership with GEO International Co., LTD, a leading Korean company in the textile industry. This collaboration will introduce eVent’s high-performance waterproof breathable laminate solutions for apparel, footwear, and accessories to the Korean market, catering to the increasing demand for premium outdoor and performance apparel.

eVent’s newest team members include:

Bartosz Lassak – Senior Sales Manager
Based in Washington D.C., Bartosz is a Senior Sales Manager for the Eastern U.S. region and will help expand eVent’s sales footprint as new customers are added to the eVent portfolio. Bartosz brings 20 years of global industry experience and has a deep knowledge of outerwear materials, end use applications, and component brand sales. Most recently, Bartosz was a Territory Sales and Marketing Manager for Primaloft, managing ingredient brand distribution in the UK, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, Turkey, and North America.
 
Xie Yi – Textile Engineer
Having recently graduated with a double Master’s Degree in Textile Materials and Product Design from the highly regarded Donghua University, Xie joins the eVent team full time as a Textile Engineer. Xie will be integral as eVent continues to enhance product strategy and new product introductions. Throughout her academic career, Xie worked as a Production Assistant for Oya Jacquard Belt limited and a Research and Development Assistant at Atelier LUMA.

Terry Kim – Senior Consultant in Korea
Terry will support the expansion of eVent’s global footprint into Korean markets and assist with marketing efforts in the Korean market as well. Terry has significant experience in the industry including 20 years working in roles such as Sales Director and New Business Development Director in his time at Gore-Tex. In his most recent role, Terry was the Managing Director of Fabric Division for Gore-Tex.

Carbios announced the appointment of Tommy Maussin as its Chief Marketing Officer, effective 2 September 2024.  His mission involves developing and overseeing CARBIOS’ global marketing and sales activities with brands across various industries, including packaging, textiles, luxury, automotive, cosmetics, healthcare, and industrial goods. Maussin will be responsible for enhancing Carbios’ global presence to initiate and conclude commercial agreements with brand owners. His proven track record of profitable businesses in a variety of industries, and in complex and international environments, is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Carbios’ customer-centric marketing strategies moving forward.  Tommy Maussin joins the Executive Committee and reports to Emmanuel Ladent, Chief Executive Officer of CARBIOS.

With over 17 years of experience in international business for several Michelin tire divisions, Maussin spent the last four as European Director and Vice President of its lifestyle division, successfully transforming operations and driving substantial growth for Michelin Guides and Robert Parker Wine Advocate across various regions. His vision for Carbios centers on driving business growth through strategic execution, fostering multicultural teams, and maintaining a strong focus on customer relationships to drive business growth.

With effect from July 1, Eugen Friedel is leading the business of Reifenhäuser Blown Film as the new part of the dual management team alongside Dr. Andreas Neuss. Friedel succeeds Marcel Perrevort, who has moved to the Reifenhäuser Group holding company as Chief Sales Officer.

Friedel, who has a degree in business administration, has held various sales positions at Reifenhäuser Blown Film for over 25 years - most recently as Sales Director. In addition to focusing on sales, he is also responsible for product management and purchasing within the dual management team.

As of July 1, Marcel Perrevort has been appointed Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of the Reifenhäuser Group. He succeeds Ulrich Reifenhäuser, who had been in this position for more than 25 years. With this decision, the family-owned machinery and plant manufacturer is consistently continuing the already initiated generational transition in its management structure.

Perrevort has held various sales and management positions within the Reifenhäuser Group for over ten years - most recently as Managing Director of Reifenhäuser Blown Film. In his new role as CSO, he is primarily responsible for the Group's sales and service strategy and its alignment with the activities of the business units.

Ulrich Reifenhäuser will continue his work in associations and committees within the plastics industry and will remain at the disposal of the Reifenhäuser Group as a representative and consultant with adjusted work hours.

Martin Shankland, Executive Board member for Global Operations, has informed adidas AG’s Supervisory Board that, after 27 years with the brand, he will step down from the Executive Board and leave the company. In mutual agreement with Martin Shankland, the Supervisory Board approved the termination of his appointment as an Executive Board member as of August 10, 2024.

Martin joined adidas Russia/CIS in 1997. During his tenure as Managing Director, he established adidas Russia/CIS as the market leader through the creation of a strong direct-to-consumer business. After leading adidas Emerging Markets region from 2017, Martin joined the Executive Board in 2019, with responsibility for product operations, sourcing and supply chain as well as tech, data & analytics, non-trade-procurement and sustainability. During this period, Martin led major transformation initiatives, including creating a more responsive, transparent and sustainable supply chain and built a more tech and data capable organization aided by the insourcing of tech talent into a network of global tech hubs.

Hoa Ly, SVP Sourcing, will have responsibility for all sourcing operations at adidas reporting into adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden. adidas CFO Harm Ohlmeyer will assume additional responsibility for supply chain and tech. As of August 11, 2024, the company’s new Executive Board will consist of Bjørn Gulden (Chief Executive Officer, Global Brands), Arthur Hoeld (Global Sales), Harm Ohlmeyer (Chief Financial Officer) and Michelle Robertson (Global Human Resources, People and Culture).