ITS celebrates the next generation of global fashion designers «We will continue to plant seeds even when the ground seems difficult», Barbara Franchin’s project marks its 24th edition
Ten days of a creative residency, ten thousand euros in prize money, ten months of exhibition in the spaces of ITS Arcademy: this is the ITS Excellence Award 10×10×10, a recognition that since 2002 has supported the brightest talents in contemporary fashion. Last March 20, the winners of a decisive edition were announced, one that best captured the interests, values, and hopes of the future of fashion. Once again, ITS Contest confirms itself as both an incubator and a driving force for a new kind of creativity, free from old patterns.
The ten emerging designers awarded at ITS Contest 2026 come from China, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and France, and they all have a clear vision of their future. Many of them, just months after graduating in design, have studied or work in some of the most important luxury Maisons in Europe, while others are certain they want to move to Paris as soon as possible to become part of today’s most stimulating ecosystem. During these ten days, the finalist designers not only had the chance to present their projects to an international jury made up of leading professionals from the fashion industry - including Carlo Capasa, Dana Thomas, Deanna Ferretti, Emanuele Coccia, Francesca Tacconi, Karen Binns, Matteo Battiston, Maximilian Raynor, Orsola de Castro, Sara Sozzani Maino - but also took part in workshops, visits, and other unique training experiences.
The finalists of ITS Contest 2026
Each of the ten finalists’ projects is unique. Darius Betschart combines medieval aesthetics and skate culture to reflect on past and present; Steven Chevallier celebrates queer history with a collection that merges his greatest passions, knitwear and painting; Yi Ding honors family through garments created using the traditional paper cutting technique; Jamie O’Grady designs modular sneakers based on essential values such as sustainability and functionality.
The talents selected by ITS for the 2026 edition continue with William Palmer, who rewrites the aesthetic rules of English lad culture through irony; Stan Peeters, who draws inspiration from great architects for a study of the body as structure; Chloë Reners, who critiques the representation of women in surrealist art by tracing a line to the present; Tidjane Tall, who uses his tailoring skills to reflect on personal themes such as individuality and family heritage; Anna Maria Vescovi, who blends roots and imagination in a collection with compelling storytelling; and Wenji Wu, who, starting from an obsession with monsters, builds a world of fantastical textures that touch the subconscious.
The awards
All ten designers received the I:C OTB Award, which included a training day within the OTB group. During the award ceremony on March 20, additional prizes were also presented. Chloë Reners won the I:C Jury Special Mention, granting her access to an international network and dedicated mentorship, confirming ITS’s commitment to supporting selected talents even after the competition. Steven Chevallier will have the opportunity to spend a day at the Experience Center of EssilorLuxottica in Milan, thanks to the I:C Ray-Ban Award; Wenji Wu won a €5,000 scholarship from the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and a mentorship program from Modateca Deanna.
The awards from Fondazione Ferragamo and WRÅD were granted to footwear and accessories designer Jamie O’Grady, who will have the opportunity to explore the craftsmanship and history of the Italian supply chain, while Tidjane Tall received the I:C Fondazione Sozzani Award, giving him the chance to present his collection in Milan with the foundation’s support. Finally, William Palmer, menswear designer and winner of the I:C Pitti Immagine Award, has been invited to take part in the next edition of Pitti Uomo, connecting with buyers, press, and industry professionals.
At this point, the story of ITS is placed in the hands of the public: over the next ten months, visitors to ITS Arcademy will be able to vote for their favorite look among the ten finalists and award the ITS Public’s Choice Award, a €5,000 prize to be presented in 2027.
ITS Arcademy presents "Rise and Shine" and "Exposure"
Starting from March 26, the works of the ten finalists will be exhibited in the spaces of ITS Arcademy – Museum of Art in Fashion in Trieste, the first museum entirely dedicated to contemporary fashion, on the occasion of the exhibition Rise and Shine. For over twenty years, ITS has collected and preserved the projects and portfolios submitted by thousands of emerging designers applying to the contest, creating a unique archive that tells the story of the evolution of international creativity. Within these walls are also preserved the first sketches of talents who are now globally established, such as Demna and Matthieu Blazy, a story in continuous transformation, now joined by these ten young designers, supported by one of the most authoritative platforms in the promotion of innovation and new languages in fashion.
Alongside Rise and Shine, it will also be possible to discover the newly opened exhibition at ITS Arcademy, EXPOSURE – When the World Is Watching You, from Harry Styles to Lady Gaga. The project, curated by stylist Tom Eerebout, explores the creation and construction of some of the most iconic images in pop culture. The exhibition not only presents clothing and accessories worn by international stars - including Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, Beyoncé, Madonna, Björk, Gwyneth Paltrow, Damiano David, Kylie Jenner, Jenna Ortega, and Chappell Roan - during public appearances and artistic projects, but also reveals the behind-the-scenes of the stylist’s creative process. On display are the tools of the trade such as notebooks, notes, safety pins, and small everyday objects which, though often invisible, play a crucial role in shaping images destined to leave a mark on contemporary culture.
