On the occasion of the inauguration of the first ever MAXXAM® Design Competition at Graduate Fashion Week Pamela Scott got a chance to catch up with Rosemary Moore (aka Textile Guru), inventor of the ‘Original Crinkle’ 4-way stretch fabric.
Rosemary is something of a legend in the world of fabrics and textiles and this year marked a timely debut of the Graduate Fashion Foundation (GFF) x MAXXAM® design competition – the winner was revealed as Paballo Sannah Makofafe during the Gala Show at Graduate Fashion Week held on 16th June 2025.
So how did the idea come about?
“Well it was whilst chatting to an old friend, Sharon Good, who had previously worked on the Graduate Fashion Week for years. She suggested I should get involved as I was keen to get involved with the next generation of fashion designers. We spoke to Nicola {Hitchens], the Director of the GFF and it sort of snowballed from there! We officially launched the competition in only March of this year so it was a hectic ride.
I had thought many times about introducing MAXXAM® to a new generation and ensuring the legacy of the invention and this was the spur for me to do something about it!”
So what was the brief?
Well the original 4-way stretch fabric that I invented is still in production today (some 43 years ago!) so the challenge to students was to produce a timeless range of one size seamless multi-purpose athleisurewear for a week’s holiday that embraced the fabric’s history and included at least one piece of swimwear.
And the response?
Oh it was tremendous – we got over 40 entries in only a few months which we had to narrow down to a shortlist of 10 and then to three finalists – Paballo Sannah Makofate, Ivo Gomes and Ella Brooks-Birkett.
Then the work really began – what a challenge for the make- up of their designs! – complex but extremely innovative use of our textiles for SS2026. What impressed me greatly from all three students was the creative utilisation of any waste occurring at the cutting stage which from our viewpoint is vital right now to reduce the issues of disposing of waste.
Winning garments from Paballo Sannah Makofate
Winning garments from Paballo Sannah Makofate
Winning garments from Paballo Sannah Makofate
So how was the winner decided?
Well the final judging did not take place until Graduate Fashion Week itself where each finalist’s look was presented on the catwalk as part of the Gala Show. The overall winner, Paballo Sannah Makofate, representing Stadio School of Fashion in Pretoria, South Africa impressed me and the other judges with a collection that stood out for its theme, creativity, sustainability story, innovation and commercial viability.
So do you feel you have achieved your objectives?
Well I guess I would say I have made a start! It brought me the opportunity to meet up again with the wonderful sponsors of Graduate Fashion Week and opening new conversations. I still think I could have done so much more but time constraints mean you feel you could always have done more!
And finally, would you do the competition again?
Ah yes, I think now we have started something really worthwhile but perhaps I need to partner up with a brand to make immediate benefits to the winner of the competition going forward. I think it is a significant step in cementing both the future and the legacy of MAXXAM® Watch this space!
The final word goes to the winner, Paballo Sannah Makofate: “Winning for me was amazing. It’s an honour, especially as a student and designer coming from South Africa. It is an exciting way to start my career and means everything to me to know that a brand has chosen me and believes in my designs.
Working with Rosemary was amazing, the communication was great on both our sides, she really understood my designs and made so much time for me. She was incredible to work with. I would definitely recommend the competition to other students; I think any type of competition is a door opener in your career, as well a fantastic opportunity to learn even if you don’t make it to the final. You get to have that experience of creating a portfolio for brand and understand the standards of the fashion industry.”
