On Tuesday 4th March 2008, Ben Pollitt of Friedrich Gray was announced as the winner of the 2008 LMFF Designer Award presented by Woolmark and supported by VOGUE Australia at a special presentation during the Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival at Central Pier.
Woolmark presented Ben with a $10,000 cheque and commemorative award. Ben will also be flown to either Pitti Filati in Florence or Premiere Vision in Paris as a guest of Woolmark, who will host and introduce them to their network of contacts including mills and fabric suppliers.
Pollitt comments, "The Friedrich Gray label is maturing both in its designs and its sophistication. I'm using a mixture of luxury fabrics in ways that compliment the body and create a strong silhouette. I'm creating an image for longevity, not clothes that are fashionable. I am designing in 3 areas now. mens, womens and an in between areas called 'gray.' The gray represents the androgonous aspect of my designs and has no sex. It is sexless; pieces are designed to float between masculine and feminine, this helps meld the whole collection together."
Friedrich Gray is more than just a label. Friedrich Gray is a story, a study and a journey. Since March 2006, Sydney designer Ben Pollitt has been fleshing out his alter ego, a character whose journey runs parallel to the vision of the designer and is played out in each season’s range. We follow the valiant protagonist by way of seasons and collections. “Developing a character other than myself to lead the journey allows my mind to experience the darkened exploits of a man with no constraints”. Mysterious and ferocious, we see Pollitt’s fashion narrative follow Friedrich’s plight from the chaos of a broken city and through the savage lands.
Friedrich Gray was born from Pollitt in an attempt to set his own tone within the constructs of Australian fashion. After working as a fashion stylist in New York he returned to Sydney in 2006 with a vision for the label. Friedrich Gray assumed it’s own persona, by means of a mixture of meticulously selected fabrics and timeless cuts.
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