Tokyo, March 18, 2013 － DHL, the world’s leading logistics provider, today announced the winner of the 4th DHL Designer Award, which recognizes up-and-coming fashion designers with international potential. As the Official Logistics Partner of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo 2013-14 A/W, DHL is providing transportation support for the event, which is being held from March 17 to 23 at Shibuya Hikarie, Mercedes-Benz Connection and other venues.

The DHL Designer Award was first launched at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo in October 2011. For the last three seasons, the Award has provided a platform to showcase local up-and-coming designers who demonstrate outstanding creativity, skills and potential to achieve international success, thus furthering development of Japan’s fashion & apparel industry. The winner of the DHL Designer Award is given 500,000-yen worth of international shipping credit from DHL to ship samples, design materials, and collection items for export.

Out of over 40 participating designers, the DHL Designer Award for the 2013-14 A/W season went to Masanori Morikawa, who is the first designer besides Armani to provide stage costumes for Lady Gaga’s world tour. The winner was selected by DHL Japan and the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFW Organization), which organizes Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo. The award was presented immediately after the runway show of the winner’s brand “CHRISTIAN DADA” to the excitement of spectators who had gathered to see his latest collection. Junko Takata, Senior Director of Marketing, DHL Express Japan, handed him a commemorative plaque and a certificate which entitles him to the international shipping credit.

Masanori Morikawa worked as an assistant to the London-based international brand, Charles Anastase for two years, before launching his own “CHRISTIAN DADA” brand at the 2010 A/W season. He began presenting his collection in the standalone runway format in 2011 A/W, and joined Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo in 2012 A/W. His style is characterized by creative designs with flair, as seen in the use of metal studs, balloon dresses, headpieces and accessories. He is also known for his attention to detail, using precision patterns, and was selected as a costume designer for Lady Gaga’s world tour in 2012. With past participation at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin in January and an upcoming showcase at the Asia Fashion Federation Conference in Singapore in May, Morikawa is expected to maintain international presence alongside the world’s leading designers. He has been selected for the Award in recognition of his stance on constantly taking on fresh challenges, while also pursuing his personal style.

Responding to his win, Morikawa said, “It is a tremendous honor to be selected for the DHL Designer Award. Overseas exports account for almost half of the transactions we do at “CHRISTIAN DADA”. In this sense, I am truly grateful for having been given this award this time. With a view to introduce the brand globally into Europe and the United States, I will be making dedicated efforts toward greater market expansion.”

DHL Japan President and Representative Director Taketo Yamakawa said, “For the ever-changing fashion industry, high speed and quality of transportation is crucial to accommodating dynamic changes in the overall supply chain, from procurement to manufacturing and marketing. As the global leader in the logistics industry, DHL continues to offer high quality and diverse solutions that meet the needs of the fashion industry, thereby contributing to the optimization of the supply chain.”

Photo: Junko Takata, DHL Japan’s Senior Director of Marketing (left)
presenting the DHL Designer Award to the winner, Masanori Morikawa