Are you a designer waiting for your big break? We here at So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins have summed up all the international fashion competitions you need to know about.

To find out when and how you should apply, check out the links.

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Talento & Co

Organized by Trendipia, it’s known as the first national competition for Schools of Fashion in Spain. Their objective is to find and support the future of the Spanish fashion industry in all fields and to highlight the importance of the educational system and the role of Schools for training and developing young talent in Spanish fashion.

Muuse X Vogue Talents: Young Vision Award

If you have a degree in fashion design or if you’re currently still in school, you might want to check out Muuse X Vogue Talents: Young Vision Award. 50 women’s wear collections will be selected for an online vote. Italian Vogue and Copenhagen Fashion Week will announce the winners.

Entry deadline: June 4

Vilcek Foundation

Calling all American, but foreign-born, designers, stylists, hair- and make-up artists and fashion photographers! The Vilcek Foundation is awarding generous prizes for creative professionals in fashion.

Entry deadline: June 10

The WGSN Global Fashion Awards

The WGSN Global Fashion Awards is not only held during an extravagant party at the Saatchi Gallery in London, that includes many famous faces, but also has a heart for young designers who offer quality and innovative style. The awards include many categories and entry is free of charge.

Next edition in 2016

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PDN’s The Look Photography Contest: Where Fashion Meets Art

An interesting competition for fashion photographers is PDN’s The Look Photography Contest: Where Fashion Meets Art Contestants outside the U.S. can also enter their image or photo series.

The entry deadline is usually in June so keep checking out their site.

A’ Design Award

A’ Design Award is regarded as the worlds’ largest design competition. The competition includes many categories, from jewelry to fashion and travel accessories. With the Fashion Apparel Garment Design Award, the aim is to attract the media and the industry and the designs will be exhibited in Italy.

Entries are now being accepted for 2015-2016

CFDA/Lexus Eco Fashion Challenge

The prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Lexus are celebrating American designers who believe and practice sustainable design. The CFDA/Lexus Eco Fashion Challenge will award and promote collections that must contain no less than 30 percent eco fabrics.

They haven’t started accepting submissions yet but keep an eye on their site.

H&M Design Award 2015

H&M is teaming up again with design schools from all over the world for its H&M Design Award 2015. If you attend any of the participating schools you have a chance to win a generous prize and develop key pieces for selected H&M stores.

Submissions for the 2016 edition are being accepted until the end of July.

The EcoChic Design Award 2014 by Redress

2014 1st Prize Esprit Winner Karen Jessen’s full collection

EcoChic Design Award

The EcoChic Design Award is a platform for emerging fashion designers from the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Designers are expected to make a sustainable fashion statement, inspired by modern Chinese culture.

Entry deadline: August 15

IAF International Student Awards

The International Apparel Federation is hosting its own IAF International Student Awards during the World Apparel Convention in Colombia in September. The prize for recent fashion graduates is an internship at a well-known company and comes with the much needed and earned media attention for a talented young designer.

Entry deadline: 31 August

Worth Project

European designers of all disciplines with at least 3 years of work experience are asked to partner up with the Worth Project. The idea behind the project is to get designers involved with European enterprises to produce new and innovative products.

Entry deadline is usually at the end of the year.

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European Fashion Award FASH 2015

‘Freedom’ is the topic of this year’s European Fashion Award FASH 2015. This year’s students and graduates of fashion design can apply and are expected to express their take on freedom with an analysis, a presentation chart and two outfits.

Entry deadline: September 12

Limerick International Fashion Student Awards

If you are a student or recently graduated, you can submit two of your works of men’s and/or women’s wear for the Limerick International Fashion Student Awards. This year’s Irish City of Culture will showcase the competing designers on October 23rd.

Entry deadline: 30 September

ANNUAL FASHION COMPETITIONS

(Alphabetically)

Designer for Tomorrow Award

If you graduated within the past two years and have not already distributed a collection, then the Designer for Tomorrow Award might give you a step in the right direction. The show will be held during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. The Spanish designer Leandro Cano won the award in 2012 when Marc Jacobs was assisting!

The International Design Awards

The International Design Awards are both awarding the title for fashion designer of the year, for professionals, as well as for emerging fashion designer of the year, for students, during their gala in LA or New York. If you are either one, you can apply to their annual Fashion Designer of the Year Award. Application does require a fee.

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International Talent Support

On the 11th and 12th of July it is time for another edition of International Talent Support in Trieste, Italy. Earlier this year we spoke to founder Barbara Franchin about her mission to support young and daring designers. This year’s nominees will present designs inspired by the theme ‘lucid dreams’. Among the nominees this year is one of our favorites, Daniel Ramos! Read more about him here

LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize

The LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize, whose jury is pretty inspiring (Lagerfeld! Jacobs! Tisci!), is open to designers under 40 who have already released two collections. The winner receives a grant and assistance in production and marketing.

Mango Fashion Awards

Once every 18 months Mango is presenting their own Mango Fashion Awards for designers who are under 35 and have managed to market their collection on a small scale.

The Midlands Fashion Awards

Each year British talents are participating in the MFA Fashion Showcase in Birmingham. The Midlands Fashion Awards are given to those who are emerging as a unique stylist, make-up artists and fashion or accessories designer.

Red Vatican

Ever dreamed of designing in a studio in London? Red Vatican is looking for new artists to produce a collection for their fashion brand. No need to worry if you don’t have a degree in fashion design, because the selection process is based on talent.

Student and Emerging Designers Competition

Part of the annual Miami Fashion week is the Student and Emerging Designers Competition, which rewards graduates or students of fashion design on a global scale. Titles include best handbag designer, student fashion photographer, jewellery designer and men’s or women’s wear designer.


Edited by Anabel Cuervas

Translation and Layout by Michael Padilla