The distinction was announced on 17 February, during a ceremony held at Mucem – Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée, in Marseille.
Created to recognise emerging fashion talent across the Mediterranean and Africa, the awards highlight projects that combine contemporary creation, innovation and the preservation of traditional knowledge. In this edition, held under the patronage of the French National Commission for UNESCO, five creators were recognised in the fields of craftsmanship, heritage, accessories and scientific research applied to fashion.
Joana Duarte won the award dedicated to textiles, craftsmanship and savoir-faire, supported by Sandro, and was recognised for the way she integrates cultural heritage and innovation into the development of her collections. According to a post by the French brand, the designer «won over the jury with her unique and deeply human approach. Her work gives new life to traditional embroidery and weaving from the Azores and Madeira, transforming textiles filled with family stories into bold ready-to-wear pieces. By working closely with cooperatives of local artisans, Joana demonstrates that textile heritage is a living material, capable of engaging with contemporary design while valuing narratives of memory and transmission».
Founded in 2020, Béhen – which will present its new collection as part of the next edition of ModaLisboa, on 14 March – takes the recovery of old fabrics and family narratives as its starting point, transforming them into designer pieces that combine memory, sustainability and contemporary design.
Joana Duarte [©Sandro]
In addition to Béhen, the MMM Awards also recognised Anil Padia (Yoshita 1967) with the Grand Prix Métiers d’Art, Ayham Hassan with the Heritage and Innovation award, Fatma Mostafa in the Exceptional Accessories and Jewellery category, and Hajar Agrad with the Scientific Research in Fashion award.
