Past Finalists today
Our fashion design contest has launched the careers of many exceptional talents who now lead and innovate in top fashion houses globally. These designers have made significant impacts through their creativity and vision, contributing to some of the most renowned brands. Their journeys from contest finalists to industry leaders highlight the importance and success of our platform in nurturing future fashion icons.
Past Finalists
Balenciaga
by Demna
Demna won the ITS Collection of the Year Award in 2004. It was the beginning of an incredible professional career at Maison Margiela and Louis Vuitton before launching his celebrated brand Vetements. In 2016 he was appointed Creative Director of Balenciaga.
Courrèges
by Nicolas Di Felice
Nicolas di Felice is one of few designers who can claim to have worked side by side with Nicolas Ghesquière in two different brands, first at Balenciaga and then at Louis Vuitton. With a stint at Dior with Raf Simons between the two. In 2021 he was appointed Artistic Director of Maison Courrèges.
Thomasine Barnekow
for Maison Schiaparelli
Hard to keep track of glovemaker Thomasine’s achievements through the years, the list of illustrious collaborations is impressive. Louis Vuitton, Walter van Beirendonck, and recently Maison Schiaparelli, worn by Beyoncé at the Grammies in 2021.
Iceberg
by James Long
Through his eponymous menswear brand James Long has become synonymous of mastery in knitwear and denim. Catching the eye of Iceberg in 2015 where he was appointed menswear Creative Director, and the following womenswear too
Helen Kirkum
for Reebok
Helen has already carved her own name in the history of sneakers. Based entirely on recycled and dead stock materials, her designs are artisanal marvels that have caught the eye of Adidas, Nike, Lacoste and, featured here, Reebok, where she is on her 2nd capsule collection.
Kira Goodey footwear
for Iris van Herpen
Kira Goodey’s footwear makes no mystery of her background in costume and fashion design: her ITS 2018 collection featured a boot that didn’t stop at the legs but continued, completely wrapping the wearer. Futuristic and innovative, it rightly grabbed the attention of Iris Van Herpen who had her develop the shoes for her “Roots of Rebirth” SS21 collection.
Björk
in Maiko Takeda
At ITS Maiko presented a series of sculptural pieces blurring the boundaries of surrounding space. The international press went wild on her collection and so did artist and performer Bjork, who used her pieces during her Biophilia World Tour and for the cover of her following album Vulnicura.
Björk
in Jenifer Thévenaz-Burdet
Artist Björk is not new at spotting talents selected by ITS for outfits or headpieces. Jenifer’s ITS 2015 menswear included these one-of-a-kind headpieces made from plastic cable-ties and mimicking snow & ice on the faces of mountaineers.
Björk
in Paula Knorr
Paula Knorr’s unique 2015 womenswear granted her the Collection of the Year Award. A unique collection inspired by 25 videos she shot to try and poetically capture a woman’s thoughts and feelings, it was worn by Björk immediately after her participation at ITS.
Richard Quinn,
Queen Elizabeth II British Design
Richard Quinn’s eponymous label skyrocketed since his ITS participation in 2015. In 2018 he made history when for the first time Queen Elizabeth II attended his show and he received the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
Cecilie Bahnsen
Her eponymous brand needs no presentation, with a style living at the intersection of couture and ready-to-wear while at the same time celebrating French fashion design and her own Scandinavian roots. Cecilie is the perfect example of a young designer who has gained experience in the industry working for the likes of Galliano and Erdem before establishing herself.
Chopova Lowena
Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena were a sensation at ITS right from the start: strong signature styles such as theirs cannot fly under the radar. Mixing Bulgarian tradition and synthetic fabrics dipped in the 80s to create a new folkloric modernity, their brand is here to stay.
Caroline Hu,
BoF China Prize 2018
Caroline Hu made it into the ITS 2018 finals with her painting-like clothes, mimicking the brush strokes of impressionist artists. Her following collection, evolving from the same style, was the winner of the inaugural prize organised by Business of Fashion China in 2019.
Yuima Nakazato -
Paris Haute Couture
Yuima is taking fabric innovation and the overall process of fashion design into uncharted territory, looking at aerospace technologies and combining them with the most refined craftsmanship to ultimately democratise bespoke designs. In 2016 he was the 2nd Japanese designer in history to be invited to show at Paris Haute Couture, and has since been an official guest designer.
Levi Van Veluw
for Hermès
His selection for our photography contest in 2007 says very little of this multi-disciplinary artist critically acclaimed for his installations, films, sculptures, paintings and drawings that often interact with the viewer on a narrative level, challenging our perspectives on religion, the physical world, uncontrolled chaos. He was recently approached by Hermès to apply his own signature style to this window design.
Anatomyland
by Aitor Throup
A Collection of the Year and i-D Styling Award winner in 2006, it is difficult to contain Aitor’s talent to fashion design. Art Directions for Kasabian and Damon Albarn, collaborations with Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams and Noomi Rapace. His latest endeavour is Anatomyland, a quest towards our inner self and a "multi-dimensional non-linear narrative" that has been 16 years in the making.
Justin Smith
for Angelina Jolie
Displayed in galleries and museums, featured in movies, worn by celebrities, praised by the likes of Stephen Jones. Milliner Justin Smith is a unique designer creating unique pieces of art, like the bespole horn headwear for Maleficent, worn by Angelina Jolie.
Tilda Swinton
in Mark Fast
When Canadian designer Mark Fast landed at ITS with his revolutionary spiderweb-like knits, it was clear right away that he would leave a mark. The cover of Another Magazine featuring Tilda Swinton in 2013 is just one of many in a long list of achievements.
Shilpa Chavan
for Lady Gaga
Through her designs Indian milliner Shilpa Chavan, aka Little Shilpa, has earned herself a place among the true visionaries and innovators in the field. It makes perfect sense to see her work worn by iconic artist Lady Gaga who, like Björk, has been keeping an eye on the ITS finalists.
Kim Shui -
Forbes 30 Under 30
Coming up with an iconic style is one endeavour. Making it financially is entirely another adventure in itself. When in need of advice, ask Kim. With a degree in economics, Kim Shui has shown incredible abilities in starting and running her brand, praised by Forbes in the “Under 30” category.
Rihanna
in Una Burke
Accessories designer Una Burke is not new to collaborations with celebrities and movies (The Hunger Games being one of them). From Cindy Crawford to Heidi Klum, Madonna, Daphne Guinness and, featured here, singer Rihanna.
Scarlett Johansson
in Anabela Chan
Following two selections at ITS (which makes her part of a very selected few), Anabela Chan established herself championing laboratory-grown gems and out-of-the-ordinary artisanal craftsmanship. Countless celebrities wear her creations, like Scarlett Johansson.
Tomasz Donocik
Tomasz has designed for the likes of LVMH, Garrard and Stephen Webster before launching and establishing his eponymous line and winning countless awards in the field.
Sero Paris
by Sero Oh
Founded by Séro Oh, an ITS 2016 finalist, the label tries to incorporate the Zeitgeist into garments to draw a self-portrait of our time. Mostly inspired by contemporary art and subculture, Séro reflects the era by plating layers of the most representative elements of current phenomenon onto garments. His brand tries to communicate, discuss and struggle with real-life scenes by connecting to modern youth life-style to create a social movement.
Xiao Li
for 10 Corso Como
Xiao’s revolutionary knitwear coated in rubber was a true sensation at ITS in 2013. The Diesel Award she won developed into a full-blown capsule collection, communicated through an extraordinary, multinational event organised with 10 Corso Como.
Michelle Obama
in Peter Pilotto
ITS finalists Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos are the minds behind the internationally acclaimed fashion house Peter Pilotto. With their iconic prints and colour combinations, they’ve had countless celebrities fall in love with their style, like Michelle Obama.
Romance Was Born
by Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales
The “Romance Was Born” brand was, literally, born at ITS: their collection concept basically was the manifesto of a phenomenal sensation that has established itself in the history of Australian fashion design.
Lily Gatins
in Carolin Holzhuber
The dramatic, architectural footwear designs by Carolin Holzhuber need no logo or tag to be understood as her own creations. Right from the start, from her graduation collection, Carolin developed a unique aesthetics. That attracted the attention of artist, stylist and occasional model Lily Gatins.
Jai Lennard
Photography
Comedian Chris Rock is one of many actors, politicians, influencers, icons and personalities shot by photographer Jai Lennard for some of the most renowned magazines in the world. A career that kickstarted at ITS, with a truly unique photo series on sexual perversions dipped in irony.
Noémie Goudal
Photography
Noémie is a visual artist working with photography, film and installation to achieve her vision. Her work has been acquired by Centre Pompidou in Paris and FOAM Photography Museum in Amsterdam, among others and exhibited worldwide.
Alejandro Guijarro
Photography
Exploring spatial relations in photographic representation, Alejandro dances between what can be seen and what can be understood. In one of his latest series he is shooting blackboards covered in calculations from universities of the like of Cambridge, Stanford, MIT and Oxford. His work has been exhibited at the Saatchy Gallery and included in the Frank Suss and Goetz collections.