H&M has officially revealed the eight finalists for the 2026 H&M Design Award. Established in 2012, the international prize returned this year following a five-year hiatus, pulling more than 1,000 applicants from over 60 leading fashion schools worldwide.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative adviser and head of design at H&M, noted that narrowing down the immense global pool to just eight finalists was super, super tough.
The selection committee prioritized creative vision, strong craftsmanship, a coherent body of work, and an unmistakable personal voice that leaves the jury intrigued about what the designer might produce next. The resulting group represents institutions across Tokyo, London, Paris, Antwerp, Brussels, and Florence, working across womenswear, menswear, and boundary-pushing hybrid designs.
Global Finalists and Creative Inspirations
The eight selected talents bring a diverse array of conceptual references to their respective collections, touching on personal history, social commentary, and historical movements. According to competition disclosures, the finalists and their respective institutions include:
- Chico Yu from Bunka Fashion Graduate University in Tokyo, Japan (Oui Speak Fashion)
- Macy Grimshaw and Ennis Finnerty Mackay from Central Saint Martins in the United Kingdom
- Evelina Kryvopust from Polimoda in Italy
- Fantin Delattre Pirenne from École Nationale Superieure des Arts Visuels de La Cambre in Belgium
- Jessica Lin from Institut Français de la Mode in France
- Yichun Liu and Yvonne Schichtel from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in Belgium
Their design portfolios draw from deeply individual subject matter, including love and memory, overlooked London streets, Hong Kong, a mother’s story, the Arte Povera artistic movement, and the research of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas.
Financial Backing and the Road to November
To help finance the upcoming phase of their professional development, every one of the eight finalists will be awarded a 10,000-euro endowment. Daniel Ervér, chief executive officer of H&M Group, emphasized that supporting early-career designers requires tangible corporate backing rather than simple recognition.
We know starting out in fashion today takes more than just talent, so we’re putting real support behind it,
Ervér said, highlighting how utilizing the company’s retail infrastructure helps emerging creatives break into the mainstream market.
The ultimate winner will be chosen on Nov. 18 at a ceremony in London. The judging panel features Paloma Elsesser, Beka Gvishiani, Ib Kamara, Calum Knight, Emma Chopova, Laura Lowena and Hillary Taymour.
Prizes and Long-Term Retail Impact
The victor will walk away with 150,000 euros alongside a yearlong tailored mentorship program covering production, marketing and public relations, sustainability and circularity. Crucially, the winning designer’s collection is scheduled to be produced and sold in selected H&M stores worldwide and online in September 2027.
A new scholarship initiative tied to Central Saint Martins is also debuting for the 2026 edition of the award. Financial assistance throughout their three-year undergraduate journey will be provided to a pair of domestic or international enrollees in the BA fashion program, while maintenance grants will be awarded yearly for three years to two students in their final year.
Minju Kim, Ximon Lee, Hannah Jinkins, Stefan Cooke, Priya Ahluwalia, and Richard Quinn are among the talents who have claimed victory in past iterations of the H&M Design Award.
Worth a look
