External Contests

FIT shares contests and projects that are open to the general public or to the general collegiate population only as a convenience and for informational purposes. FIT does not sponsor, organize, or endorse these contests or projects in any way, and FIT is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, content, or terms of any such contest or project. FIT encourages interested persons to carefully review the terms and conditions of any contest or project before participating and to contact the contest or project sponsor for questions or concerns.   

Japan Parade Art Contest 2026

Details: The Art Contest began in 2012 as the Japan Day Art Contest, when the sponsor first invited the public to submit illustrations for official posters, flyers, and programs. The contest was such a success, resulting in so many splendid entries and yielding such wonderful winning artwork, that sponsor decided to make the art contest an annual part of the Japan Day event. This year marks the 14th annual Art Contest and the fifth Japan Parade Art Contest.

Submission Deadline: January 16, 2026

Winners Selected: March 13, 2026

Competition Guidelines: Artwork must incorporate the themes of “New York,” “Japan” and “Parade,” and themes may be incorporated in an abstract manner. JPEG format, portrait orientation, actual size H24” x W18”, Initial submission must be under 2MB, Prize Winners will be later asked to send full resolution versions, 2D work only, Artwork must be the original creation of the artist, No Photographs, No “AI art”, Only one entry per artist. Artwork must be able to be transferred to a digital format in high resolution. Unfortunately, the sponsor cannot accept media such as paintings that cannot be digitized to be true to their original form.

Enter The Japan Parade Art Contest 2026

About Japan Parade & Street Fair: Japan Day @ Central Park was an annual event celebrating Japanese culture, art, and tradition held in Central Park since 2007, organized with the New York based 501(c)(3) organization Japan Day Inc.’s three objectives: to promote cultural exchanges between Japan and the U.S., to express appreciation for New York City, and to strengthen the solidarity of the Japanese-American community. After years of cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was reborn as the Japan Parade & Street Fair in 2022. 

Lululemon Future Designers Competition

Details: Lululemon is inviting you to show your designs that move with someone through their whole day: from sweat, to work, to social time. Winners will be considered for a full-time open Design Assistant roles based in Vancouver (relocation provided for those eligible) and $500 lululemon gift cards.

Submission Deadline: January 16, 2026

Winners Selected: May 1, 2026

Competition Guidelines: Your designs should reflect the needs of a young professional who values wellness, productivity, and community. This person is stylish, mindful, and constantly on the go. Design 2–3 complete looks for someone who: Starts the morning with a workout; Heads to a coffee shop to work or study; Meets friends after to unwind; Lululemon is looking for pieces that look good, perform well, and make those transitions effortless. What to Submit: 2–3 complete looks (sketches or digital renderings); Fabric + color story + inspiration; Optional: Notes on technical features, construction, or any unique details.

Enter the Lululemon Future Designers Competition

About ARTS THREAD: ARTS THREAD is the world’s only creative student and graduate website. It bridges the gap between education and the creative industry. For the first time ever, design students, graduates, universities, schools and the creative industry can network worldwide. 

Global Jewelry Design Contest 

Details: The International Gemological Institute (IGI) hosts an annual free global jewelry design competition called IGI Expressions™, which is currently accepting submissions for its 2025-26 contest. The current theme is "Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean".

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2026

Winners Selected: February 25, 2026

Competition Guidelines: All the participants are required to create their design in either - Sketch (Manual); iPad; CAD. Submissions should include front & back of the design. Additionally, iPad & CAD submissions are required to add their open file of their design when submitting the design. Categories:  Statement Piece - A bold piece that expresses personal style, personality and emotion. Anything that will be attention-grabbing. Can be necklace, earrings, a set, rings or bracelets. Convertible Jewellery - Pieces designed to be worn in multiple ways, allowing for versatility and customization. Brooch - An essential accessory, especially in formal attire. Unique from the traditional jewelry. Defining the design mechanism and the functionality in the description is mandatory. Submission Specifications: Art Design - Image Size: A4 in full color (both front & back of the design); Image accuracy: 300 DPI resolution i.e. High Res; Image format: .jpg, .jpeg, .png; File size: Maximum 10MB; Each aspect of the design should be mentioned (defining the elements like color, stones, size, weight, dimension, etc.). Interpretation of Theme & Design Mechanism: Design Description; Description of the story and design, up to 300 words (in English); Defining the mechanism of the design in the description is mandatory. Participants to submit their original artwork along with an open file. Sketch submissions are not required to submit an open file. Submission Evaluation: The eminent jury members will carefully review each design based on the following criteria: 40% - Design relevance to the theme, 40% - Wearability/ functionality, 20% - Description of design mechanism. All factors will be considered for shortlisting designs and selecting the winners. AI submissions will be disqualified.

Enter The Global Jewelry Design Contest 

About IGI: The International Gemological Institute (IGI) is one of the world’s largest and most trusted authorities in diamond, gemstone, and jewelry certification, education, and research. Serving the global jewelry industry for 50 years with uncompromising accuracy and integrity, IGI operates 31 grading laboratories and 18 schools of gemology in the world’s leading gemstone trading centers. Renowned for technical expertise, thought leadership, and cutting-edge research, IGI is committed to fostering transparency and confidence throughout the global gem and jewelry marketplace.

Fashion Designer Scholarship Fund

Details:  The grant is meant to recognize any brands or designers who have shown growth, made strides, or gained recognition this year, whether big or small. The sponsorship is open to designers of all levels.

Submission Deadline: February 5, 2026

Winners Selected: March 1, 2026

Competition Guidelines: Fill our an applicaiton via the link below

Enter the Fashion Designer Scholarship Fund

About Sponsor: The Model Experience x Fashion Week Festival creates inclusive opportunities for designers at every level through our large-scale runway productions in NY and LA. Blending high-energy fashion, live celebrity performances, and industry panels featuring leaders like Christian Siriano and Ashton Michael, the event has also welcomed artists such as GloRilla, Coi Leray, and Doechii — shaping it into a cultural powerhouse that uplifts designers at every level.

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

Details: The Gallery Collection Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship is a 19th Annual Create-A-Greeting Card $10,000 contest. Students can design a greeting card for the opportunity to win a $10,000 scholarship and $1,000 for their school. Plus, the winning entry will be made into a bona fide greeting card by The Gallery Collection.

Submission Deadline: March 9, 2026

Winners Selected: May 15, 2026

Competition Guidelines: This contest is open to all high school, college and university students enrolled during the time period of the contest in an academic program designed to conclude with the awarding of a diploma or a degree. This contest is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, as well as American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. International students who have a student visa to attend school in the United States are considered legal residents and eligible. Applicants must be 14 years of age or older at the time of entry, unless prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, their family members, and persons living in the same household as employees, or their family members are not eligible. No purchase is necessary to enter the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship’s annual $10,000 contest to create a Christmas card, holiday card, birthday card or all-occasion greeting card.  One application allowed per person.  

Enter the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

About Prudent Publishing: Prudent Publishing Company, Inc. has been a publisher of premium, personalized greeting cards for over 85 years. Their Gallery Collection© lines of Holiday and All-Occasion cards are sold through direct mail catalogs and website only and are targeted to a corporate clientele. The cards are of the highest quality, using rich paper, heavy embossing and foil stamping.

BIAAF X BILBAO International Art and Fashion Design Competition

Details:  The close bonds between fashion, art and culture is the common thread behind BIAAF’s competition. BIAAF’s flagship project, a biannual international fashion design competition, aims at giving hundreds of emerging fashion designers the opportunity to express their unique, personal imaginary worldwide. Curiosity for form and shape, fascination for color or an interest in certain cultural references, from architects and sculptors to contemporary artists inspire these young creatives’ collections.

Submission Deadline: March 13, 2026

Winners Selected: November 2026

Competition Guidelines: Participation is open to emerging designers of any nationality aged between 18 and 35. The theme is open, although for added merit the work presented should bear some relationship to the world of art from the historic or creative point of view, manifested either, in the inspiration behind the collection itself or in specific references: Textiles, prints, volumes, details etc. The Jury will pay special attention to the creativity, innovation and experimentation capacity, sustainability of processes and materials used as well as the finishing an overall quality of the works presented. All collections must be original and not previously winner of any other competition. 

Projects should be sent to: Bilbao International Art & Fashion Av. Sabino Arana 50, p.1, dpto14, 48012 Bilbao (Bizkaia) SPAIN

About BIAAF: Bilbao International Art & Fashion (BIAAF) is a non-profit organization created by professionals belonging to very different areas. Their aim is to provide young fashion designers with worldwide visibility among the fashion industry, the general public and the media through intercultural enrichment by showing the different approaches of fashion towards art and the promotion of fashion as a true cultural value.

2026 The Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition

 

 

 

 

Details: Are you concerned about fast throwaway fashion and unsustainable materials? According to Greenpeace, synthetics – made using petrochemicals from the oil industry – now make up 60% of our clothing. These clothes not only take hundreds of years to biodegrade but are often cheap and poorly made. The result — nearly one billion items of clothing, each typically worn just five times — are thrown away every year. It’s time to challenge the fast fashion business model and all those who say no to nature by designing beautiful, durable clothes from natural fibres that people will want to wear longer, and that will last longer. 

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026

Winners Selected: October 2026

Competition Guidelines: To stimulate thought about our planet’s future and to combat this waste, the judges are challenging you to create an original, innovative, and visually stunning design in one of three categories -apparel, accessories and footwear – made from real cattle leather. The judges also want to see how entrants approach the creation of garments that will last and be loved for a lifetime. You are asked to use leather as the inspiration for a single item , either clothing, shoes, or accessories . Entries must be at least 50% cattle hide leather and any other materials used must be natural or organic materials where possible.  The sponsor does not accept the use of fur or exotic skins. Plastics must only be used where no natural alternatives are available. The sponsor would like your piece to capture one or more of the facets of leather, from beauty and versatility to strength and durability. Entries should include all these elements - 1. A brief summary of your project provided in English. 2. Storyboards and design inspiration. 3. Sketches, flats, technical specifications, and final design (the item does not need to be physically made at this stage). 4. A short two-minute video to introduce you and your design. This is optional but encouraged, as it would make a great addition to your entry. Please give consideration to ease of recycling, reuse and disposal at the end of the product’s life, and also think about the practicalities of commercial production, as the sponsor is looking for designers who will start new brands, fashion movements or style trends.

Enter the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition

About ARTS THREAD: ARTS THREAD is the world’s only creative student and graduate website. It bridges the gap between education and the creative industry. For the first time ever, design students, graduates, universities, schools and the creative industry can network worldwide. 

Bloom Wholesale Fashion Contest

Details: When it comes to creating unique women’s wholesale clothing designs, creativity and originality matter more than ever—especially in the age of AI. Bloom Wholesale is looking for talented individuals with a deep interest in fashion to share their ideas through a written essay. This contest is open globally and aims to support emerging fashion thinkers and creators.

Submission Deadline: August 8, 2026

Winners Selected: September 26, 2026

Competition Guidelines: The Contest is open globally to anyone over the age of 16 who is interested in fashion, design, or creative arts. Applicants must currently be attending a school, college, university, or training institution. Employees of Bloom Wholesale, its partners, subsidiaries, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. Only one (1) entry per person is permitted. To enter, applicants must write an original essay of 500–1000 words on the topic: “How to Create a Women’s Clothing Design That Sells in the Times of AI". Submit the essay along with: Full Name; Email Address; Name of School / Institution currently attending. All Entries must: Be written entirely by the entrant; Be submitted in English; Not contain obscene, offensive, harmful, defamatory, or unlawful content; Not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights; Bloom Wholesale reserves the right to remove or disqualify any Entry that violates these rules.

Enter the Bloom Wholesale Fashion Contest by emailing your entries to [email protected]

About BloomWholesale:  BloomWholesale is a wholesale clothing brand operating for years. They sell women's clothing in the best price possible and their innovative team keeps researching new ideas and trends to bring about the best selling fashion items.

H&M Design Award 2026 — Supporting Emerging Fashion Voices

Details: The H&M Design Award is a celebration of creativity and a testament to H&M Group's belief in the power of emerging talent to shape the future of fashion. Each year, the award celebrates young designers whose work demonstrates exceptional creativity, innovation and respect for the craft’s heritage. Finalists are chosen for their ability to push boundaries and challenge conventional ideas in fashion. The winner receives a 150,000€ endowment and a year-long, tailored mentorship. This mentorship covers critical areas such as sustainability and circularity, production, marketing and PR, equipping the recipient with the tools, knowledge and industry access needed to launch a successful career. In addition, the winner’s collection will be produced and sold in selected H&M stores worldwide and online. The eight finalists all receive a 10,000€ endowment.

Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026

Winners Selected: November 2026

Competition Guidelines: Bachelor and Master of Fashion graduate students can compete by sending in digital portfolios of their graduate collections. The site designaward.hm.com will open for applications on January 29th, 2026 and close on August 31st. H&M is looking for
entries that demonstrate:  Exceptional creativity – A clear and original design vision that stands out; Innovation – Fresh ideas that challenge convention and bring something new to the fashion world; Craftsmanship – High-quality construction, excellent technique, and respect for the art of making; Attention to detail – Finely considered elements that show care, thought, and skill in every aspect of the work; Sustainability– A circular mindset and environmentally conscious choices in materials and design are highly valued; Potential to start own brand.

Enter the H&M Design Award 2026 Contest

About H&M: H&M Group is a global fashion and design company, with over 4,000 stores in more than 79 markets and online sales in 60 markets. All their brands and ventures share the same passion for making great and more sustainable fashion and design available to everyone. Each brand has its own unique identity, and together they complement each other and strengthen H&M Group – all to offer customers unbeatable value and enable a more circular lifestyle.