The Competition
2023

The Arts of Fashion competition is open to ALL students studying Fashion, Art and Design anywhere in the world during the academic year 2022-23. Participants will not only represent themselves, but also their Schools, Colleges or Universities, as well as their Countries.

With the intent to facilitate exchange, the Arts of Fashion contest is a year-long program involving students, professors and industry professionals. Each step is hosted by different Museums, Universities or Institutions around the world.

The ultimate goal is to recognize the most creative works and to reward students by allowing them to further develop their education and facilitate their career. Finalists are rewarded with the opportunity to either participate in the Arts of Fashion MasterClass Program of excellence hosted at the Balenciaga Museum, or work in an apprenticeship in the highly creative studios of Les Métiers d’Art – Chanel.

• Maison Lesage - Paris Award
   4-week internship at the studio of Maison Lesage
   Paris, FRANCE
   www.lesage-paris.com

• Maison Lemarie - Paris Award
   4-week internship at the studio of Maison Lemarie
   Paris, FRANCE
   www.lemarie-paris.com

• Maison Montex - Paris Award
   4-week internship at the studio of Maison Montex
   Paris, FRANCE
   www.mtx-paris.com

• The Arts of Fashion Foundation Awards
   4-week scholarship at the Arts of Fashion 4-week intensive Summer Program
   www.arts-of-fashion.org

Jury Session
Asian Art Museum

On Saturday, April 29, the First-Round Jury Committee of the International Arts of Fashion Competition met and identify the 50 candidates in Fashion and Accessories, based on the students' 2D submissions, among all portfolios received in San Francisco from 116 Schools and Universities and from 28 countries. Judging is based on coherence with the theme of the year - INFLEXION for 2023 and originality, creativity, artful expressiveness, innovation and craft.

With the intent to facilitate exchange, the Arts of Fashion contest is a year-long program involving students, professors and industry professionals. The ultimate goal is to recognize the most creative works, and to reward students with high potential by allowing them to further develop their education and facilitate their carreer. Awarded students received the opportunity to either participate to the Arts of Fashion Programs of excellence, or work in an apprenticeship with confirmed designers, or in the design studios of Les Metiers d'Art of Chanel.

This unique international student contest is dedicated solely to celebrate emerging socially responsible designers and their creativity and originality in Fashion.

Thankful to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, his Director, Dr. Jay Xu, and to each jury member joining this special 2023 edition.

📌 Jurors 2023 | 1st Phase

• FARLEY CHATTO
   Menswear Designer, Fashion Lecturer
   Toronto Metropolitan Univ.

• FRANCESCA VIGNA
   Consultant, Project Manager
   Istituto Marangoni

• LISA L. HAYES
   Associate Professor of Fashion Design
   Westphal College, Drexel University

• NATHALIE DOUCET
   President of the Arts of Fashion Foundation
   Arts of Fashion Foundation

• NING LI
   Associate Professor of Fashion Design
   Central Academy of Fine Arts

• RUNQIA XIA
   Online Fashion Design Tutor, MA Designer
   Royal College of Art

• SHELLY SATAT-KOMBOR
   Head of the Jewelry & Fashion Department
   Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design

Jury
Members

The task of the First-Round Jury Committee is to identify 50 international candidates in Fashion and Accessories based on the students’ 2D submissions under this year’s theme of INFLEXION among all the portfolios received from 116 Schools, Universities and 28 Countries.

Every year, the Jury Committee is a great opportunity for the participating professors. It offers you the chance to see creative student work from all over the world, while providing an opportunity to meet and network with other esteemed colleagues from the world’s best Fashion Design Programs.

Ning
Li

Associate Professor of Fashion Design
Fashion Design Program,
School of Design
Central Academy of Fine Arts
Beijing, China

cafa.edu.cn

Francesca
Vigna

Consultant and Project Manager
Fashion Research, Concept
and Design Development Instructor
Istituto Marangoni
Paris, France

istitutomarangoni.com

Runqiu
Xia

Online Fashion Design Tutor
MA Student
The Royal College of Art
London, UK

rca.ac.uk

Farley
Chatto

Furrier and Menswear Creative Designer at Farley Chatto Designs
Fashion Lecturer at the School of Fashion
Toronto Metropolitan University
(formely Ryerson University) Toronto, Canada

torontomu.ca

Shelly
Statat-Kombor

CoFounder,
Creative Designer
at Couple of | Shoes
Head of the Jewelry and Fashion Department
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design
Jerusalem, Israel

bezalel.ac.il

Lisa
L. Hayes

Associate Professor of Fashion Design
Drexel University
Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Philadelphia, USA

drexel.edu

Nathalie
Doucet

Founder, President
Arts of Fashion Foundation
San Francisco, CA

arts-of-fashion.org

Student Registration
Schools & Universities

Competition

History

The Arts of Fashion Foundation Fashion Student Competition was created in December 2001 as the U.S. extension of the world renowned Concours International des Jeunes Créateurs de Mode - an international fashion design student contest sponsored by Air France and the French Federation of Couture. This global contest was introduced in 1982, in Japan, and has grown steadily over 23 years. In 2006, this international student contest stopped to be held in Paris.

Since then, the Arts of Fashion Foundation, a public American nonprofit 501(C)(3), brought this international competition to the United States and has continued to make it a unique and authentic annual fashion rendez-vous for students, schools and fashion professionals from all over the world to celebrate creativity in fashion. The Arts of Fashion Foundation has evolved into an internationally-recognized organization that is completely independent and neutral to the limitations of commercial interest. They have dedicated themselves to encouraging and supporting creative designers by introducing industry professionals and public audiences to their unique work. Through its different programs, the Foundation is committed to advance the work of visionaries and risk-taking creative fashion designers.

This Premier International Student Fashion Competition takes place each Fall during the annual Arts of Fashion Symposium, hosted every year by a different university or school or department.

Every year a different theme is chosen, and from October of the previous year to April, fashion students register online to participate. They then have to send sketches and technical sheets of a ‘mini collection’ made up of 3 silhouettes or 3 accessories designed around the theme. In 2018, over 300 fashion students registered from 104 schools, universities and colleges of 32 countries.

• In May a jury panel, composed of national and international fashion professors, selects 50 project illustrations that best represent the set theme and reflect creative and innovative potential. The 50 selected candidates are required to make 2 out of the 3 silhouettes they submitted.

• In October these 50 projects (100 designs) are judged by a panel of professional fashion designers and are shown on the runway for the grand finale of the Symposium. 7 to 8 designers are awarded and receive scholarship and apprenticeship opportunities in creative programs and fashion houses.

The spirit of this competition is to recognize, encourage and award the most creative projects showing innovative potential in order for these students to have a chance to push even further their education and training to become even better designers, by offering them the opportunity to work, study and learn from renowned mentor designers and access to some of the best Fashion craft and technic.

1. The Arts of Fashion Competition

The competition exists to:

Promote and reward creativity and inventiveness; discover emerging talent and facilitate careers; establish enriching contacts and exchanges between different countries, schools and universities; and to foster new relationships between those from different industries and fields.

The 2023 first laureates will receive Awards and a Certification for their creative and original work based on coherence with the theme, originality, creativity, artful expressiveness, innovation and craft).

To participate in the international Arts of Fashion Competition 2023 applicants should register online.

The application fee is $50.00 for the Fashion or Accessory category. After confirmation of registration each applicant should submit a file of drawings/illustrations of a mini collection of 3 outfits in menswear, womenswear or a mixed collection of both menswear and womenswear or 3 accessories.

• Please read carefully the regulations below and remember that the Arts of Fashion Competition is open ONLY to students registered in a School or University during the academic year 2022/2023.

• When a first student registered, the name of his/her School or University appears on the Arts of Fashion Foundation website page of the competition. The main criteria for being part of the first 50 selected are truly creativity in Fashion design and concept, as well as a well-crafted project and originality.

• When the first jury meets, samples of fabric/material (physical) are also highly important in the student file. This is a requirement and this is why we do not accept file submission online.

With regards to the rise of design competitions being increasingly managed by fashion businesses, the Arts of Fashion Foundation is proud to assure students that the Arts of Fashion Competition has been organized by a group of volunteers and designers for more than 20 years with no commercial motives.

This unique competition is dedicated solely to celebrate emerging designers and their creativity.
• Student work is protected and therefore not in view, nor is sold to trend offices and design studios.

• Students don't give up the intellectual property rights of their designs when they participate in the competition of the Arts of Fashion Foundation.

• Student projects received are judged by a carefully selected jury of fashion design professors who travel on their own budget.

• The 50 selected students - finalists - compete for scholarships allowing them to participate to the unique Arts of Fashion MasterClasses programs and apprenticeships with creative studios around the world. Their work is presented in front of carefully selected jury of fashion professionals.

The Arts of Fashion is dedicated to bringing the best sources of education and research to students and designers. Please check editions from the past years.

2. Theme

Inflexion

The theme 2023 is INFLEXION and this word could cover literally which we are experiencing worldwide - a limit point at many levels difficult to go over without affecting the way we live and act.

This new challenge is to rethink, redefine, and redraw our way of life, the way we interact with others and therefore the way we dress. However it can also indicate other forms of Inflexion from your creative mind or imagination, physical as well as figurative.

3. Calendar

Timeline

• March 1 to April 1, 2023: Window to mail your design proposal in a study cardboard envelope - post marked. Send it as documents and do not declare any value because it is not commercial - otherwise you will have to pay taxes and your package may be delayed at customs

• May 1, 2023: 50 selected candidates for the International Final will be listed on the Arts of Fashion website following the jury session

• September 1, 2023: Submission deadline for all selected projects to be received at the Arts of Fashion Foundation

• Mid December, 2023: (TBA) The Arts of Fashion Symposium Competition & Awards Ceremony 2023

4. General Conditions

Participation

The competition is open to students studying Fashion, Art and Design anywhere in the world during the academic year 2022-2023. Participants will not only represent themselves, but also their Schools, Colleges or Universities, as well as their Countries.

• Candidates must be current students and cannot be professionally employed in the fashion industry at the time of the submission of their original project.

• Candidates must design their own original projects completely by themselves.

• Candidates must follow the design and specifications outlined in their application for realization of their final project.

• Registration must be submitted only on an individual basis and in the chosen categories.

• Online registration, applications, and final projects received after the deadlines will not be accepted. Registration fees are non refundable.

• When a project is selected after the first jury session (May 1), it can not be presented in another international competition or event before the final in December 2023.

5. Rules & Regulations

Online registration

Online registration: the registration fee is $50 for one category, Fashion or Accessories. Each candidate needs to design a capstone collection of 3 silhouettes/ looks or 3 accessories: The application materials should be completed as listed below.

• 1 page for the 3 illustrations or plan of collection
• 1 page for each silhouette/ look - illustration
• 1 page for each silhouette/ look - flats/technical designs
• 1 or 2 pages for the fabric and material swatches (NO photocopy)
• 1 page for the visual developed concept/ atmosphere/ mood board
• 1 page for the SHORT written developped concept and with a title in English
• 1 resume/ CV of the applicant
• 1 student ID (photocopy) 2022-23 of the applicant

Format of each page: MUST BE – Letter 8.5" x 11" or A4 210mm x 297mm – and on separate pages (do not try to bind or mount it or else) – name of the student and the school should be written on the back of each page with a very very light pencil.

THE PRECISE WINDOW FOR REGISTERED STUDENTS TO MAIL/SEND PROJECTS TO SAN FRANCISCO IS FROM MARCH 1 TO APRIL 1, 2023 Please remember to send your project as DOCUMENT WITH NO COMMERCIAL VALUE ZERO VALUE (It is important otherwise taxes may be added by customs).

📍  Address : ARTS OF FASHION FOUNDATION
       580 CALIFORNIA STREET - SUITE 1200
       SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104 - USA
       Phone Number +1 415 734 71 26

6. Exclusion clause

Entries

Entries will be automatically disqualified from the competition for the following reasons:

• If the final project does not follow the design or specifications outlined in the candidate’s original application.

• If they are received after the deadline.

• If they may result in any copyright infringement or legal dispute for the jury, organizers, sponsors, or host university.

• If they pressure for preferential treatment by the jury members, the hosting university, the organizers, or sponsors of the competition.

• Applications and Final Projects will be judged by experts and well-known professionals from fashion and design fields.

In all matters concerning the course of the competition, including the selection of award winners and settling disputes, the decisions of the judges are final. All matters will be decided by majority vote and are not subject to appeal.

In case of a tie, the President of the Jury will cast the deciding vote. Candidates will be presented anonymously to the first round Jury (made by fashion professors and designers) by the competition organizers.

Jury deliberations for the second round Jury in December (made by fashion professionals and designers) will not be made public.

7. Protection of work & Amendment

Ownership

Candidates maintain artistic ownership of their designs and final projects. By the act of participating in the Arts of Fashion Competition, candidates give permission to the organizers and sponsors to contact and promote them and their projects through a wide range of media: press, TV, internet, mailing, advertising, exhibitions, fashion show. When a project is selected in the first jury session, it can not be presented in another international competition or event before the finals in December. If an awarded project is exhibited or published in any media, mention of the Arts of Fashion Competition is required.

Amendment

In the event the AoFF Competition 2023 is suspended or terminated for any reason, the organizers, as well as the sponsors, will not be held responsible in any way. The Arts of Fashion Foundation and its members, volunteers, guests and instructors, and the host University or Institution will not in any way be responsible for any accident, damage or loss of the final projects or candidates’ belongings during the course of competition, including workshops, masterclass, conference, exhibition, transportation, and all events. It is the responsibility of the participants to insure their submissions.