A' Fashion Design Awards open early entries for 2026

A' Design Award & Competition has opened early entries for its 2026 fashion, apparel and garment awards, with a June 30 deadline and winners due May 1, 2027. The global contest is aimed at designers, brands and apparel professionals, and includes free preliminary review plus prize packages for laureates.

Why it matters: - The competition gives fashion professionals a global platform to benchmark work, gain exposure and potentially earn marketing support tied to an international award. - Winning entries can receive a package that includes publicity tools, exhibitions in Italy and distribution to press contacts. - The awards also frame fashion design as part of a broader push for creativity, cultural expression and responsible design.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened early entries for the A' International Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Awards 2026. - The call is open to fashion designers, apparel designers, garment designers, textile designers, fashion brands, couturiers, fashion houses, stylists, tailors, outfitters, garment manufacturers, costume designers, accessory designers, fashion illustrators, fashion consultants and fashion innovation, consultancy, research and development companies worldwide. - Eligible submissions must have been professionally created within the last 10 years. - The early deadline is June 30, 2026. - Results will be announced on May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition runs in two phases. - The first phase is free and allows entrants to register and submit a work for a preliminary score. - Projects that pass the preliminaries can move to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Entries are evaluated anonymously through a peer-review process. - The jury includes more than 300 academics, journalists, design professionals, museum curators, investors and industry experts. - Example eligible projects include contemporary runway collections, dresses, suits, skirts, outerwear, jackets, apparel and garments. - Sub-category information is available in the fashion awards category listing. - Registration is available through the entry portal.

Between the lines: - The award structure is designed to reward both design quality and commercial visibility. - Laureates in the professional edition receive the A' Design Prize, which includes a Design Excellence Certificate, lifetime winner logo use, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy and an invitation to the gala-night. - Winners also receive translation of awarded works into foreign languages, entry to Prime Clubs and inclusion in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Fashion Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Award winners get an interview published on the Designer Interviews website and included in press kits. - The press kit includes design images, photographs of the designer, logo files, dozens of high-resolution images and a portfolio previewing other projects. - Press kits will be distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish selected winning projects.

What's next: - Designers and brands can submit entries before the June 30, 2026 early deadline. - Organizers will score submissions in the free preliminary phase before advancing eligible projects to nomination. - Laureates will receive their prize packages and media materials after the May 1, 2027 results announcement. - Past winners are listed in the winners archive.

The bottom line: - A' Design Award is using the 2026 fashion competition to attract global submissions with a low-friction entry stage and a media-heavy prize package for winners.