DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, has revealed local brand by johnny as the winner of the coveted DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship for 2015, which will see designer Johnny Schembri mentored in his mission to take the label onto the global stage.
Schembri, known for expressing a fearless femininity through his design aesthetic and innovative business ideas, has been growing his label in leaps and bounds since 2009 when he operated out of the Fringe Bar markets. Since then, he has starred in and became a finalist on Project Runway Australia, signed a much-coveted contract with prestigious Australian department store Myer and dressed a number of celebrity fans including Jennifer Hawkins, Katy Perry, Gigi Hadid, Kelly Osborne, Jodi Anasta and Dannii Minogue.
Schembri has impressed the fashion community by proving his ability to innovate, having created a limited edition ‘Shop the Runway’ collection as part of MBFWA 2015 that was exclusive to Myer.
The energetic Sydney-based designer will receive AUD$10,000 worth of international freight, a DHL Express mentorship to supercharge his export strategy and mentoring from IMG Fashion in the United States. Following on from the launch of the DHL Exported competition earlier this year, he will also be flown to New York for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February 2016 where he will meet with an international buyer.
Schembri was overwhelmed to join the ranks of previous winners of the Scholarship, such as Bec and Bridge, We Are Handsome and Michael Lo Sordo, stating: “Over the last six years I’ve worked so hard with my team to create a strong foundation in the Australian marketplace –and I am so grateful to the local buyers, stockists, and supporters here for making it all possible –but I am beyond excited to be given this stepping stone to the global market by DHL Express and IMG Fashion. I can’t wait to start working with them to take by johnny from the streets of Sydney and Melbourne to the footpaths of New York and LA.”
As part of his ongoing business strategy, Schembri and his team are currently working on growing their e-commerce platform to provide a key access point for international audiences and offering competitive rates and shipping options.
The job of reviewing this year’s entrants’ look books and credentials fell to an esteemed panel of judges, including: Emily Weight, Director, Strategy and Brand Development, IMG Fashion; Prue Lewington, Sunday Telegraph Fashion Editor; and Jamila Dlala, National Group Sales Manager at DHL Express.
Gary Edstein, Senior Vice President of DHL Express Oceania said, “We believe this is a fantastic opportunity for by johnny and we’re proud to add the label to what has become an illustrious list of Scholarship winners. We are excited to see how the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship will help Johnny realize the international exporting potential of his brand. The trip to New York to attend the DHL Exported show is sure to inspire him to grow his business and we look forward to being a part of that process.”
DHL Exported is a global collaboration between DHL and IMG Fashion that invites established designers to apply to show in the New York, London, Milan or Tokyo Fashion Week events, with the winner in each market able to debut their collection for two seasons.
Locally, the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship supports up and coming Australian designers by assisting them in their international expansion plans. Previous winners include Michael Lo Sordo, KHALO, Haryono Setiadi, We Are Handsome and Bec & Bridge, who have each successfully utilized the Scholarship prize to help catapult their business overseas.
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