PARIS — Adeju Thompson’s label Lagos Space Programme was named the winner of the 2023 International Woolmark Prize at a ceremony hosted on the Petit Palais in Paris on Monday.

The Nigerian designer will receive a money prize of 200,000 Australian dollars, or $134,000, the chance to be stocked at top fashion retailers, and business mentorship.

Lagos Space Programme was chosen amongst eight finalists who were tasked with designing six merino wool looks as a part of their fall 2023 collections, or a standalone capsule line highlighting “the innate versatility, progressive nature and eco-credentials of merino wool.”

They were judged by a panel of industry experts including Alaïa creative director Pieter Mulier; Alessandro Sartori, artistic director of Zegna; Marni creative director Francesco Risso; footwear designer Salehe Bembury; photographer Tyler Mitchell, and Elizabeth von der Goltz, chief executive officer of Browns and chief fashion and merchandising officer of Farfetch.

The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation went to Danish knitwear brand A. Roege Hove. Designer Amalie Roege Hove will receive 100,000 Australian dollars, or $67,000. The Woolmark Supply Chain Award, celebrating outstanding contribution from a trade partner driving wool supply chain innovation, went to textile innovation studio Byborre.

The opposite Woolmark Prize finalists were U.S. brand Rhude; South Korean brand Maxxij; France’s Bluemarble; Irish men’s label Robyn Lynch; Marco Rambaldi from Italy, and London-based brand Paolina Russo.

Previous winners of the International Woolmark Prize include Saul Nash, who scooped the prize last yr, Matty Bovan, Rahul Mishra and Gabriela Hearst, in addition to Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino Garavani.