EXCLUSIVE: H&M Is Bringing Back Design Award With a Bigger Scope

LONDON — H&M is bringing back its Design Award after a five-year hiatus, WWD has learned.

The relaunched prize will be bigger than any of the previous editions, according to Ann-Sofie Johansson, head of design and creative adviser at H&M. “I’m thrilled to be able to say that we are taking it back again. We stopped due to the pandemic,” she added.

The winner will now take home a 150,000 euro, or $178,000, endowment and receive a yearlong tailored mentorship covering areas such as sustainability, production, marketing and communications, in addition to having the graduation collection produced and sold online and in selected H&M stores.

“We discussed how to continue with it in a way that makes sense for young designers today,” said Johansson, adding that a significant part of the award’s evolution is the increased commitment to mentorship and expert guidance.

“We know that we have so much to give. We have so much expertise within the company that we really want to share. Young designers have always needed support and encouragement, maybe more so than ever now, since the world is getting tougher and tougher for independent designers. I think whatever we can do to help them and to give them insights and to really support them in a good way — I think that is super needed,” she continued.

The award will also be more global, as this year it will accept BA and MA students from more than 60 participating schools from 25 countries, with Australia, Mexico, Poland, Spain and Colombia being included for the first time.

“Students shall apply with their final collection. They don’t have to do anything extra to enter the award. It’s focused on menswear or womenswear. We’re looking for something very creative, innovative and can really push the boundaries, and makes us curious and want to see more,” Johansson said.

Given that these schools are operating at their own pace, applications for the H&M Design Award will open Thursday, and candidates can submit their portfolios digitally. Some 20 semifinalists will be chosen by judges working across brands under the H&M Group and revealed in October.

The winner will be selected from eight finalists, who will each receive a 10,000-euro endowment, in November by a jury of fashion industry professionals.

Previous winners of the H&M Design Award have included Minju Kim, Ximon Lee, Hannah Jinkins, Stefan Cooke and Priya Ahluwalia.