Australian designer Alice McCall will headline the judging panel for Shein’s inaugural ‘R.I.S.E. Student Designer Challenge’ which is being run exclusively in Australia by the global fast fashion business.
McCall will join the Shein panel to assess finalists in the 2024 competition, which is themed ‘Retro-Futurism’. It comes less than a year since Alice McCall signed an apparel deal with the business.
The top three designs will receive $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 cash for first, second and third place respectively. Additionally, the winner will become a Shein X Designer and will receive mentorship and professional feedback from industry leaders, with Shein confirming that the designers will retain ownership of their work and earn from the sales of their designs under a commission-based model.
Amid the inclusion of McCall, Shein has extended the entry deadline for the competition until August 2, more than a week longer than its original July 25 deadline.
The competition is free to enter and requires students to upload a sketch of their original designs. Each entry can include one or more items that form a complete look. An explanation of the look and the story behind it must also be included along with the submission.
McCall said the theme of ‘Retro-Futurism’ offers a unique opportunity for creativity.
"Fashion is often an amalgamation of ideas and design lines from the past, with modern techniques, technologies and trends of today,” she said. “Retro-Futurism, the theme of the SHEIN R.I.S.E. Student Designer Challenge, opens a whole melting pot of the past, present and future and the opportunity to create wearable and covetable looks that feel relevant for today."
The competition is free to enter and open to any student over 18 years old currently enrolled in any course at an Australian tertiary institution.
After the submission period closes on August 2, all eligible entries will be showcased online for the Australian public to vote on their favourite designs. These votes will determine the finalists, who will present their designs before McCall and the panel at a grand finale runway show in September.
A Shein spokesperson said the company is committed to making the business of fashion accessible.
"The R.I.S.E. Student Designer Challenge serves as a platform for aspiring designers to showcase their looks in front of a global audience and gain valuable experience from industry leaders like Alice."
The Australian exclusive instalment comes several months after Shein announced an injection of an additional US$50 Million (A$76.2 million) into its global designer incubator program.
Since launching in January 2021, the global program has grown from only seven to more than 4,600 artists and designers across over 20 countries, with more than 41,000 original creations.