Dylan Best wins National Designer Award 2023 in Australia

Melbourne-based Dylan Best, who creates menswear-inspired looks with his elevated casualwear line Best Jumpers, has won the 2023 National Designer Award in Australia.

The accolade, presented by David Jones, was announced at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, which ran from March 3 to 11. As the winner, Best will receive a prize pool valued at 130,000 Australian dollars, including a 20,000 Australian dollar cash prize.

Best said on social media: “Honoured to be the winner of the National Designer of the year amongst such great designers. This means a lot to our growing brand and big thanks to our Best Jumpers mates for wearing and supporting our brand, the skilled local manufacturers and Best Jumpers team for making the best garments we can.”

Best founded Best Jumpers in 2018 as a fashion and lifestyle brand for men and women that captures the laid-back Australian attitude and sense of ease and fun, in a minimal aesthetic, with jumpers and T-shirts reading ‘Mate’ and ‘No Worries’.

The award celebrates the future of Australian fashion, providing finalists with opportunities for mentorship, networking and critical industry exposure. Previous winners have included Dion Lee, Toni Maticevski, Esse, and Alemais.

In addition, Sydney-based designer Madre Natura was awarded the honourable mention for sustainability, receiving a cash prize of 10,000 Australian dollars and mentorship from the David Jones’ sustainability team.

While the public voted luxury tailoring label Hyde and Stone as the winner of the People’s Choice award.

The other finalists included Anna Cordell, Iordanes Spryidon Gogos and Van Der Kooij.