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.
2026 H&M Design Award — 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. 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.
2026 Global Creative Graduate Showcase
Details: The 7th edition Global Creative Graduate Showcase is open to all undergraduate, graduate
and postgraduate art and design disciplines for those that have graduated between
September 2025 - August 2026 (Southern hemisphere graduating after September 2025).
The Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2026 grants the opportunity to share creative
work alongside peers from around the world and have it be judged by industry leaders.
Last year's Global Creative Graduate Showcase was a huge success with over 5000 entries
representing 117 countries from 472 higher education institutions. This is a chance
for contestants to curate their creative personality by mixing research with 2D/3D
development documenting all the different creative and technical development stages
up to the final outcome.
Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026
Winners Selected: November 2026
Competition Guidelines: Open internationally to all art and design undergraduate or postgraduate students graduating in the Academic Year 2025-26 - i.e. September 2025 to August 2026 (Southern hemisphere graduating after September 2025). All work uploaded for Global Creative Graduate Showcase remains the copyright of the competition entrant. Only for Film graduates - the whole film needs to be seen by the judges in order to qualify. Participants are encouraged to produce a short self-curated film (like an Instagram story) to introduce their work to the world in their own words and visuals.
Enter Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2026
About ArtsThread: ArtsThread is a vibrant community of 400,000+ of the most talented emerging artists & designers on the planet. The only global creative platform created for the student and university network. The launchpad for creative careers and creative entrepreneurs.
2026 Kyoto Global Design Awards
Details: The Kyoto Global Design Awards celebrates the diversity of design across the world,
starting from Japan's cultural center, Kyoto, which has more than a thousand years
of history and is one of the oldest cities in the world. With its legacy of Japanese
history, Kyoto continually innovates and endeavors, bringing together history and
modernity. This precious heritage has allowed Kyoto to become not only an important
symbol of culture but also a hub for new economic and design development. Through
the Kyoto Global Design Awards, the Kyoto Global Design Awards Committee is embarking
on a journey to seek global talents and encourage designers to increase design value,
promote social and commercial exchanges, and make meaningful contributions to a better
world. They aim to provide a reliable platform that promotes professionalism and quality
in design.
Submission Deadline: September 19, 2026
Winners Selected: October 31, 2026
Competition Guidelines: Each Kyoto Global Design Awards winner has undergone an extensive review process. Award winners are selected through a series of reviews and evaluations that look at their trend-setting capabilities and influence from various angles. The Kyoto Global Design Awards jury is composed of high-level experts from multiple fields, including design, art and culture, and environment. Entries are reviewed from various angles, with a focus on lifestyle and human nature. Judges look for designs that impact an entire field and lead to new opportunities for creative or business collaboration. Regarding the KGDA judging criteria, there are six key points: Aesthetic Excellence, Innovation, Societal Impact, Nature Positivity, Sustainability Commitment, and Functionality.
Enter Kyoto Global Design Awards
About Kyoto Global Design Awards: (KGDA) is an international design competition established in 2019, with the aim of recognizing outstanding designers from across the globe. With its headquarters in the Netherlands, KGDA intends to become one of the most prestigious design awards in the Asia-Pacific region. As a means of promoting collaboration between design and society, KGDA provides designers from around the world with an opportunity to showcase their work, regardless of their country of origin or background.
2027 Design-A-Bag Competition
Details: Design-A-Bag (DAB) Online Competition is the only bag designing event of its kind for designers and design students all over the world. The competition is part of an initiative by Fashion Access and APLF. The annual event brings together a global design community to the Fashion Access trade fair. Designers can showcase their creations to the world and exchange design concepts among talents from various cultures and backgrounds.
Submission Deadline: January 8, 2027
Winners Selected: 2027
Competition Guidelines: Designs must be an A3 sized document, and include the following: Bag must be designed with genuine leather as the main material; Front view in colour sketch; One other view in colour sketch; A technical drawing with scaled measurement; Present the material swatch(es) and colour story. To ensure fairness, NO participant/company/institute name should appear on the drawing or else the submission will be disqualified. The design must align with this year’s theme: Crafting Wonder. Submissions that do not reflect the theme will be disqualified. The submission process must be repeated for each separate entry. Submitting the same design more than once will result in disqualification.
Enter the Design-A-Bag Competition
About APLF Limited: APLF was established in 1984. It has been the most international leather and fashion manufacturing exhibition, and recognised as the most important trading platform in the tanning industry. Every year, the exhibitions attract 10,000+ visitors, including fashion designer brands, manufacturers of bag, footwear, furniture and car, and tanneries from 100 countries.
2026 Porada International Design Award
Details: Organized in collaboration with POLI.design and supported by the ADI (Italian Industrial
Design Association), this annual design competition is a great pathway to professional
opportunities for design students. This year's competition is officially open and
focuses on the theme of TABLES. The challenge asks students and professionals to develop
innovative table concepts where solid wood is the dominant material, balancing ergonomic
and sustainable design requirements.
Submission Deadline: January 31, 2027
Winners Selected: 2027
Competition Guidelines: The competition is open to Italian and/or foreign designers working independently or employed by companies and Italian and/or foreign students enrolled in Bachelor's or Master's programs, recent graduates, and students of secondary schools. Participation is prohibited for Jury members, their relatives, employees of Porada and POLI.design, and freelance designers currently designing or who have designed products for Porada in the past. The wood may be combined with other materials (preferably chosen from those in the collection). Submitted designs must be original and unpublished. The Jury will decide three winners for each category, Students and Professionals, and a winner of the Giacomo Allievi Special Mention, for a total prize of 11,000 euros. Winners will be celebrated at a dedicated award ceremony organized by Porada, offering direct exposure to leading Italian manufacturers and design networks.
Enter the 2026 Porada International Design Award Competition
About Porada: Porada was established in 1968 by Luigi Allievi with the aim of expanding the production of chairs, started in 1948. The excellent quality and considerable experience in the wood manufacturing shortly gave the Company a solid and well-defined identity, which nowadays express itself in refined products that contribute to design a domestic environment, where the everyday living needs are met.