• TENCEL™ and Nicola Coughlan reveal their collaboration on the red carpet with a custom made gown by designer Wiederhoeft for the European Barbie premiere
• Crafted using fabrics exclusively made from TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers and TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarns and embellished with Swarovski crystals.
• Partnership celebrates and supports emerging design talent whilst championing sustainable materials

Lenzing, London, July 12th – Lenzing’s flagship textile brand, TENCEL™ reveals collaboration with actress Nicola Coughlan and trusted stylist Aimee Croysdill to create a unique custom-made gown crafted by New York based designer Wiederhoeft, using fabrics exclusively made from TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarn and TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers, embellished with Swarovski crystals, showcased at the European premiere of Barbie.

Nicola Coughlan, who stars as ‘Diplomat Barbie’ in the hotly anticipated Greta Gerwig movie, graced the pink carpet in a custom made dramatic corseted gown, inspired by her favourite childhood 'Sparkle-Eyes Barbie', imagined by stylist Aimee Croysdill and brought to life by designer Wiederhoeft, exclusively using fabrics made from TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers and TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarns, provided by sustainable fabric sourcing platform Esce-tex that specializes in catering in emerging talent, embellished with Swarovski crystals.

Nicola wore the bespoke red-carpet look to show support of and spotlight eco-couture as the first in a series of creative collaborations in a partnership that celebrates the next generation of designers embracing sustainable materials and environmentally conscious practices. Nicola and her longtime stylist Aimee Croysdill collaborated with TENCEL™ to achieve their creative vision, selecting emerging design talent Wiederhoeft to create the custom-made look, using the red carpet as a platform to give sustainable materials a greater representation.

Bridging the divide between sustainability and high-end couture on the red carpet, the collaboration aims to raise awareness and drive positive conversations around sustainability, championing diverse representations of beauty and style. Eva McGeorge, Head of Marketing & Communication Europe / Americas / Turkey of Lenzing AG explained, “It has been an honour to collaborate with Nicola and Aimee on this special project, showcasing TENCEL™'s commitment to sustainability and encouraging the adoption of eco-friendly materials in the fashion industry. It is important that we support the next generation of design talent, collaborating and working closely with like-minded creatives, designers and brands to represent these messages on the red carpet and encourage and inspire positive change in fashion”.

Derived from sustainable wood sources and produced using eco-responsible production processes, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers and TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarns are of 100% botanic origin and are biodegradable and compostable. Fabrics made with TENCEL™ fibers are naturally smooth, soft and breathable.

TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarn can be woven into a lightweight and luxurious fabric with silky smoothness, liquid-like drape and color vibrancy. Both TENCEL™ fibers and TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarn are considered as the ideal sustainable alternative for designers and brands without compromising on luxury, quality or possibility.

In support of the partnership, Nicola reveals, “Collaborating with TENCEL™ and Wiederhoeft on this custom look has been a dream. I love Wiederhoeft’s designs, and I’m so thrilled to be wearing a bespoke gown made from sustainable materials and using environmentally conscious practices. It’s really exciting to have the opportunity to spotlight eco-couture at tonight’s Barbie premiere.”

Speaking about the concept and vision, Nicola’s stylist Aimee Croysdill explained, “The Barbie world is plastic fantastic and I felt that we had a responsibility to make sure we took measures to be sustainable in our approach to this look.” She continued, “Materials made of TENCEL™ fall beautifully and feel incredibly luxurious. The thing I love the most is it has a breathability that you can’t compare to other fabrics. It’s lightweight and airy.”

Of his approach to the design, Wiederhoeft explained; “Nicola really wanted something in silver to call back to her Barbie, which is silver in the film. The bodice and sleeves are fully embroidered with silver glass beads, with chandelier crystals on top. The skirt is made from a heavy satin provided by TENCEL™, which is also hand-embroidered with glass Swarovski crystals. It’s so important that brands are aware of their impact. Fashion is such a resource-intensive industry that is susceptible to creating incredible waste and pollution. It’s been amazing to partner with TENCEL™ and through them Swarovski – who both have incredible initiatives around sustainability”.

Wiederhoeft used Swarovski crystals as embellishment, a brand that cares deeply about people and the planet. These values have been embedded in the company since its beginning in 1895. Today this legacy is rooted in sustainability measures across the value chain, with an emphasis on circular innovation, championing diversity, inclusion and self-expression. Swarovski creates beautiful crystal-based products of impeccable quality and craftsmanship that bring joy and celebrate individuality, created in adherence with high-level environmental, safety, and labor standards. Swarovski was the first crystal company to launch a pioneering, lead-free* crystal formula. With the development of this market-leading formula, Swarovski created a crystal composition of carefully selected ingredients that does not require the addition of lead, while still providing the same unique sparkle. By Lenzing and Swarovski partnering for this unique occasion, the collaboration embraces two Austrian companies that are deeply rooted in sustainability, uniting forces to support emerging talent.

* Crystal glass and all other materials containing 0.009 % lead or less.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Stylist - Aimee Croysdill

Tailoring - Bernie Carty Courtiere

Hair - Halley Brisker

Make Up - Neil Young