Shein expands 2024 Shein X Challenge worldwide

Online fast-fashion retailer Shein announced on Monday the expansion of its Shein X Challenge to include participants from around the globe. 

The Shein X Challenge, which celebrated its third anniversary this year, is an initiative under the Shein X Designer Incubator Program.

Originally limited to submissions from EU member states and the United Kingdom in its 2023 edition, the competition will now accept entries globally for the 2024 edition.

Aspiring designers are invited to submit three complete Spring/Summer 2024 women’s looks (top and bottom) to the Shein X Challenge 2024 website. The theme for this year’s design challenge is ‘Radiance’, and the deadline for submissions is February 15, local time.

All eligible submissions will be showcased on the Shein X Challenge website, where the public can cast their votes for their favorite designs. The top 20 submissions will advance to the second round, where a panel of industry experts will select the 10 finalists.

The judging panel for the competition comprises seasoned professionals from various sectors of the fashion industry, including Adrien Roberts (international fashion education consultant, Italy), Julien Fournié (founder of Julien Fournié Haute Couture, Paris), Jill Wanless (editor, United Kingdom), and Colin Horgan (independent designer, Ireland).

“Competitions like the Shein X Challenge are crucial because there is an abundance of raw talent waiting to be discovered. Providing these aspiring designers with platforms allows them to express their creativity and showcase their designs,” said Wanless.

The 10 finalists will embark on a journey that includes a masterclass by the judges and workshops on sustainable fashion. They will present their submissions at the final round of Shein X Challenge 2024, with the winners set to be announced in March 2024.

The submission with the most online votes will receive EUR 10,000, and judges will select three submissions for special awards, each winning EUR 5,000. An additional six finalists will receive EUR 3,000 each. The grand finale will be a runway show, streamed globally.

Shein announced in September 2023 an additional investment of $50 million towards the Shein X Designer Incubator Program. This commitment aims to empower up to 5,000 emerging designers over the next five years to build their own successful brands, bringing the company’s total investment in the program to $105 million by 2028.

The program currently boasts over 4,600 designers and artists globally and has launched more than 41,000 original creations.