Berlin, Germany: Triumph Inspiration Award 2011

The Triumph Inspiration Award (TIA) is an international design competition that challenges fashion students to create a lingerie showpiece for the year’s design theme. The TIA is by one of the leading underwear manufacturers, Triumph International. It is now on it’s fourth year and the culminating events were previously held in Beijing, Milan and London. This year the TIA was held in Berlin, Germany on July 6, 2011 during the Mercedes Benz fashion week.

Triumph International was founded in Heubach, Württemberg, Germany in 1886. The company is also celebrating its 125th year in the industry as an underwear manufacturer. All design entries to the TIA were inspired by the slogan “125 years of celebrating women.”

More than 2,100 young designers from all over the world joined the TIA this year. 37 countries participated and the winner in each country’s nationwide competition was sent to the TIA finals in Berlin.


The Berlin Press Con
The accomplished panel of judges composed of model and actress Lily Cole, star photographer Ellen von Unwerth, the model and photographer as well as face and ambassador of Triumph Essence Helena Christensen, the international singer Coco Lee, the owner and CEO of the Premium Exhibition GmbH Anita Tillmann and Jos Berry who is Brand Executive Director for Triumph were introduced to the press in Nhow Berlin, a music and lifestyle hotel.

Leung De Leon Marketing's Theresa Leung and Claudine De Leon with European Model Lily Cole (Center)

TIA 2011 Judge Coco Lee, LDL Marketing Executives Claudine De Leon and Theresa Leung and Nancy Lee  

Nhow Hotel, Berlin Germany

A representative from the Philippines asked the panel “If they prefer style over comfort with lingerie?” Anita Tillmann replied, “It depends on what you want to do.” The international press chuckled with her answer. Most of them agree that it should be both stylish and comfortable at the same time.

Click here to see a video clip of the press con


Backstage
As in any event, everyone backstage was hard at work. The scene was chaotic but at the same time it looked like everyone knew what they were doing. The models were being made-up, some were in make-up and the others were doing hair. The designers were anxiously waiting for their models to get ready and some of them were carefully examining their pieces once again.
Representatives of the international press were given backstage access to interview the designers, see their pieces, and meet their respective models. Excitement was definitely in the air!


The Show

E-Werk, one of Berlin's prominent venues for top notch, world-class cultural events

The show was hosted by George Lamb, an English radio and TV presenter. His own daily radio show on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2008 to 2010 was the breakthrough of his career for which he was also awarded the prestigious Sony Rising Star Award 2008 as voted for by the public. George’s co-host was top model Franziska Knuppe. She has impressively hosted awards and TV-shows: in 2006, 2007 and 2009 she presented the “GQ-Men of the Year” and in 2008 the young mother hosted the casting show “Supermodel” for the Swiss television, the counterpart to Heidi Klum’s “Germany’s Next Top Model.”


The Triumph Inspiration Award 2011 was a sexy visual treat from all over the world. The models paraded each designer’s art gracefully. The audience connected to the designs as if they almost understood the statement of the designer without listening to the audio being played in the background.


Some designers opted for color but most of them chose the neutrals such as black, white, nude and beige for their sexy creations. Others played it safe and kept the designs simple yet stylish and elegant but Belgium’s Tom Van Der Borght was bold enough to design a matching headgear that looked perfect for winter as part of his entry.

Philippine Representative
Pristine De Guzman of School of Fashion and the Arts represented the Philippines in the TIA 2011. She was inspired by the power dressing of the 80’s and incorporated Triumph’s history as a corset maker in her design. Instead of the usual hidden boning in corsets, she made it visible outside to create a stronger silhouette. According to her, “women of today are strong, reliable and powerful, they are not afraid to take center stage as winners and leaders of the world.”

TIA 2011 Winners
As soon as George Lamb announced the winner, Ms. Boglárka Bódis was visibly touched and moved when her design was presented on the runway for the grand finale. “I still can’t believe that I won! The past days were so exciting – and I am very proud that “Les Fleurs du Mal” impressed the judges the most!”

Lily Cole graced the catwalk in Boglárka Bódis’ winning piece. That was a great moment for both Boglárka Bódis and Lily Cole!

1st place: Boglárka Bódis from Hungary with the design Les Fleurs du Mal


2nd place: Nurten Yüksel from Turkey with the creation Hezârfen


3rd place: Diana Bobina from Romania with the creation AVA 1236

The Prize
The TIA winner, Boglárka Bódis from Hungary, received a cash prize of EU 15,000 and Triumph will work with her to produce a limited edition commercial garment of her design. This would give Ms. Bódis a significant career boost as Triumph continuously reaffirms its promise of “perfection in female shape.”