The best fashion competitions to apply for in 2025

For many emerging designers, fashion awards serve as a crucial springboard to gain visibility for their brand and access essential resources for professional growth. Over the years, these competitions have built an impressive roster of alumni who have quickly become the new protagonists of the luxury fashion scene, often thanks to a combination of media exposure, mentoring, and financial support. The most prestigious awards, such as the LVMH Award, the ANDAM Prize, and the International Woolmark Prize, have helped numerous talents  (including top designers such as Martin Margiela, Anthony Vaccarello, Iris Van Herpen, Peter Do and Wales Bonner) secure a place in the fashion week calendar, strengthening their credibility among buyers, industry press, and influencers. However, the more renowned the award, the higher the level of competition. For this reason, diverse platforms and contests are necessary to ensure broader accessibility. Each of these awards not only provides scholarships and funding but also offers valuable networking, mentoring, and collaboration opportunities with key figures in the fashion world. Here is a list of the top fashion awards to watch in 2025.

British Fashion Council NEWGEN

NEWGEN is an initiative by the British Fashion Council that supports the most promising emerging fashion talents with the aim of building high-end global brands. The program offers financial support, showcasing opportunities, and mentoring to help designers develop the essential skills needed for business growth. For this edition, the BFC has partnered with Copenhagen Fashion Week to implement sustainability requirements, making them mandatory for participating brands. Selected designers will receive a scholarship to support the presentation of their collections over two seasons at London Fashion Week, with production and mentoring services valued at approximately £80,000. Additionally, they will receive a grant from the BFC Foundation to support their brand with funding and strategic guidance.

Applications close on March 3, 2025, at 6 PM (CET).

BIG SEE Fashion Design Awards

Originally founded in Southeastern Europe to highlight the region’s creative potential, BIG SEE has grown into a global platform that celebrates creativity in all its forms, awarding excellence in architecture, design, and fashion. Now detached from its geographical origins, the program recognizes the most innovative projects at an international level, offering designers opportunities to connect, innovate, and make an impact in the industry. The BIG SEE Product & Fashion Design Awards honor the most original and visionary creations that redefine how we interact with the world through design. 

Applications are open from January 3 to July 15, 2025.

REDRESS Design Award

The Redress Design Award is the world’s leading sustainable fashion competition, created to educate emerging designers worldwide on circular design theories and techniques. Aiming to put sustainable talent in the global spotlight, the competition provides a unique platform for visionary designers to innovate and lead the transformation of the fashion industry, with prizes that can be career-defining. Organized by Redress, a Hong Kong-based environmental NGO focused on Asia and supported by the Lead Sponsor Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the 2025 edition offers life-changing recognition and the chance to present sustainable collections to a global audience. Additionally, winners will receive HK$80,000 (US$10,000) to support the development of their brand.

Applications are open until March 14.

National Fashion Profession Young Designers Contest

The Ricerca Moda Innovazione platform is once again launching the XXXV edition of the National Fashion Profession Young Designers Contest - RMI 2025, the longest-running competition dedicated to emerging fashion talents in Italy, promoted by CNA Federmoda. The competition offers the Absolute Winner a €10,000 scholarship and access to international events through CNA Federmoda's collaborations. A new addition to this edition is the RMI Young Talent Award, reserved for high school students, which includes a €3,000 scholarship and a fabric supply sponsored by SILKOMO. The contest is open to final-year high school students and young individuals enrolled in post-diploma institutions, academies, and universities, with a maximum age of 25.

Applications are open from February 14 to March 31.

SUPIMA Design Competition

Supima Design Competition, launched in 2008, aims to introduce emerging talents in the fashion industry to an international audience. What began as a local competition has quickly evolved into a prestigious event, culminating in an official runway show during New York Fashion Week in the fall and a high-profile presentation at Paris Fashion Week. This dual exposure provides participants with a unique stage to showcase their creations to media, influencers, and industry professionals worldwide. The top fashion schools in the U.S. select an outstanding graduate as a finalist, all competing for a $10,000 cash prize and a major opportunity for visibility. Throughout the creative process, each finalist works closely with renowned designers as mentors, receiving guidance on refining their runway pieces and understanding what elements will resonate most with the judges. 

Application opening date is TBA.

ITS Contest 2026

International Talent Support (ITS) was founded in 2002 and, over more than two decades, has become the most recognized global platform for discovering and supporting the best-emerging talents. The initiative has built an ever-expanding network of young designers, fashion industry leaders, artists, stylists, photographers, and editors while also curating a unique collection that traces fashion’s evolution, featuring the early works of designers who are now shaping the industry. ITS Contest finalists receive financial support and join a network of peers and industry experts who provide mentoring and career opportunities. At the heart of the ITS experience is a ten-day creative residency in Trieste—an invaluable opportunity to gain new skills and form lasting connections. Each finalist receives a €10,000 bursary, a ten-month feature in the “Borderless” exhibition at ITS Academy – Museum of Art in Fashion, and prestigious honors supported by OTB Group, Swatch, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Fondazione Sozzani, and other key partners.

Application dates for this year are still TBC.