U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA) is excited to announce the first Global Leather Design Competition. Students from eligible university and design schools are eligible to compete. Currently countries/regions that will participate are: China, Italy, Taiwan and the U.K.
Winners will receive an industry Certificate of Excellence, will be eligible to attend an award ceremony hosted by USHSLA at one of world’s major leather industry events; selected winners will receive training opportunities and be able to attend a USHSLA sponsored fashion show/product demonstration with winning products. The competition is a great opportunity to be recognised by the brands, leather industry, and fast-moving community of fashion and design. See below for details.
The competition is organised by U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA) , in corporation with the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA), the Italian Tanners Association (UNIC), Leather UK and the Taiwan Leather Industry Association (TLIA) to promote the versatility, beauty and sustainability of leather.
USHSLA will report on the progress of the competition in selected or all participating countries on social media and web site.
Design Theme and Categories
The theme for the design competition is “Real Leather. Stay Different.” Contestants can blend the versatility of the leather with traditional and modern visions of design. We are looking for unique, astonishing and compelling designs that encourage the use of leather now and in the future and can set the global trends for style-conscious fashion consumers. New ways of leather use in traditional categories are strongly encouraged.
The design competition categories include apparels, bags, footwear and fashion accessories made principally of leather; leather can be used exclusively or in combination with other natural materials suggested by participants. Specific categories of design include:
Submission and Judging
USHSLA in-country counterparts: CLIA, Leather UK, TILA and UNIC, will coordinate the in-country competition. The in-country association will select 4-5 designs in each category with a total of 12-15 products and make sample products at local producer or school facilities. The four organisations will then submit the sample products with the original design sketch package to USHSLA. A judge committee organised by USHSLA will evaluate the products. The original design sketch package should include:
Please note:
Awards
Judging will take place at Lineapelle in July 2020 in New York by the USHSLA World Competition Judge Committee. The committee will be comprised of leather experts/designers from each country/region, US leather experts, US fashion experts and US celebrity designers. Judging will be blind. The participant will be assessed on the ability to present a visually appealing style and an innovative concept.
Awards will be announced, and award ceremony will be held, at ACLE, September 2020 or Lineapelle, October 2020. All gold, silver and bronze winners will be invited to participate the award ceremony sponsored by USHSLA. USHSLA and partner organizations will make multi-lingual press releases for general awards announcements on social media and major trade media in each participating country.
Gold and Silver winners will have the opportunity to attend a U.S.-based training sponsored by USHSLA tentatively scheduled in July 2021.
Award categories include Gold, Silver and Bronze with the benefits of each listed below.
All non-winners will receive a letter of recognition and leather souvenir from USHSLA.
Who can participate: Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at eligible schools and design institutes.
Estimated Timeline
September -December 2019 In-country design competition
January -April 2020 Each country selects 12-15 design pieces and converts them into products samples at local producer and/or school facilities
May-June 2020 Each country submits final products with original design packet to USHSLA
July 2020 Judging at Lineapelle, New York
September-Oct 2020 Award ceremony at ACLE, China or Lineapelle, Italy
February/March 2021 Fashion show/product demonstration
July 2021 Winners training in US, including attending Lineapelle, New York, 2021