UPDATE!
Congrats to winners BETHANY PEELE - KANGAN INSTITUTE / RYLEY WILSON - RMIT MELBOURNE / PEARSON BULMER - UTS SYDNEY
5 x shortlisted designers -
ADELE EASTON - SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY / BETHANY PEELE - KANGAN INSTITUTE / RYLEY WILSON - RMIT MELBOURNE / PEARSON BULMER - UTS SYDNEY / SAM HOLMES - UTS SYDNEY
The winning designs will be announced on stage at Melbourne Fashion Week 2019 as part of the MFW Student Collections Runway on Sunday 1st September 2019.
Would you like to create a new cutting-edge eyewear design? Would you like to win $3,000?
AND see your product in Specsavers stores across Australia and New Zealand
Entries have officially opened for the inaugural Specsavers Young Innovator Design Competition. The award aims to identify and showcase emerging ANZ design talent who will create a new cutting-edge eyewear collection for the leading optical retailer. Specsavers will provide support in the form of financial reward, mentorship and the winning styles for up to three young designers will be showcased and sold instore and on the Specsavers websites.
In partnership with Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW) the winning designs will be announced on stage at Melbourne Fashion Week 2019 as part of the MFW Student Collections Runway on Sunday 1st September 2019.
THE BRIEF
- Specsavers is looking for designs that shout style but are also wearable. They should encourage people to wear their specs with pride and help the wearer to express their individuality. They can be optical or sun ranges, be of any colour and pattern, or you might prefer something simpler where the shape does the talking.
- The end products can be made from a range of materials that include acetate, stainless steel, titanium, cellulose proprionate or grilamide (nylon) among others.
- Wherever your imagination leads you, remember, the design also should to be practical, functional and able to be manufactured.
- But if that sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry: the winners will work closely with an eyewear designer and product developer to bring their designs to life to ensure they comply with optical industry standards.
- You should produce a minimum of two different designs and a maximum of four for the judging panel to assess - obviously the more you submit, the more the judges are likely to see something that they love! Specsavers would also love for you to come up with a name for your frame/collection too.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
- Communication
Ensure that your design language is clear, easy to understand and stands out from the crowd. Communicate your collection’s message directly and powerfully. You might also want to suggest some marketing initiatives that could be created around your frame.
- Commercial appeal
Your designs must hold commercial value and be relevant to the market. Do your designs only appeal to a niche audience or do they have wider appeal?
DELIVERABLES
Your entry must include these 3 elements -
- Research, inspiration and a moodboard
Explain the inspiration and trends that have informed your collection and led to your final designs. What are the common themes, materials, colours, prints and branding that make up your designs? Who is the consumer you have in mind? - Design - design boards
Explore concepts for a marketable optical or sun frame that stands out in the current optical market. You can develop up to four different ideas for submission. You can also include development ideas for branding, a glasses case, cleaning cloth and packaging - 3D Version - photograph your 3D mock-ups
Produce mock-ups of your designs in either 3D print, on card or a material that helps visualise the final design, showing the front and side view. Please photograph these and upload the images.
Tutors - download the A4 Specsavers Australia and New Zealand Young Innovator Design Competition poster to print off for the school noticeboard!
THE PRIZES
- Each winner will receive a cash prize of $3,000, as well as having their design or designs manufactured and professionally photographed.
- Specsavers Magazine to produce and style a feature around the winners and their design.
- Marketing, digital and PR support around the launch of the range.
- Two mentoring sessions with Specsavers Global Head of Product Design and one Australian Specsavers design partner.
- Photo production and video content of the winning collections to be displayed at MFW 2019.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Open to 2018 graduate designers from any design subject resident in Australia and New Zealand + students studying any design subject in Australia and New Zealand.
- The competition is not open to design professionals or to employees of the Promoter or Melbourne Fashion Week or their families, friends and anyone else connected with this competition.
- Aged 18+
HOW TO ENTER
STEP 1
Already got an ARTS THREAD portfolio? To enter, simply log into your account, upload your design as a new project, return to this page and select your project into the Competition box above.
New to ARTS THREAD? To enter, register to create an ARTS THREAD account and go to your email and click on the activation link sent to your email Inbox. Then log into your account, upload your project, then return to this page and select your project into the Competition box above.
You can create the work in any media, as long it can be submitted to and viewed on the Arts Thread site.
STEP 2
Complete our online Specsavers Young Innovator Design Competition 2019 Entry Form
Please ensure you have read the Terms & Conditions for the Specsavers Young Innovator Design Competition 2019
ENTRY: Free to apply
DEADLINE TO APPLY: July 05 2019 11.59 PM AEST
THE JUDGING
- A panel of industry experts will select a shortlist.
- The shortlisted entrants will be announced on Friday 19 July and must be available for interview in Melbourne on 02 August 2019. Interviews will take place at Specsavers head office in Melbourne.
- A maximum of three winners will then be chosen, whose designs will each feature in the new eyewear collection.
- The winners will be announced in September as part of the MFW 2019 Student Runway. Shortlisted entrants must be available to attend the MFW Student Collections Runway on Sunday 1st September 2019.
