H&M revealed the eight finalists of the H&M Design Award 2026 and the jury that will choose the winner. Each finalist will receive a €10,000 endowment to support the next step in their careers.
H&M Design Award 2026: Finalists and Jury Panel
Bringing together perspectives from across fashion, this year’s jury, including Paloma Elsesser, Beka Gvishiani, IB Kamara, Luke Leitch, Calum Knight, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, Hillary Taymour and Ann-Sofie Johansson, will assess the finalists’ collections before the winner is revealed in London on November 18, 2026.
Global Fashion Schools and Design Inspiration
Selected from top institutions across Tokyo, London, Paris, Antwerp, Brussels, and Florence, the eight finalists for 2026 are Chico Yu (Bunka Fashion Graduate University, Japan), Ennis Finnerty Mackay (Central Saint Martins, UK), Evelina Kryvopust (Polimoda, Italy), Fantin Delattre Pirenne (La Cambre, Belgium), Jessica Lin (Institut Français de la Mode, France), Macy Grimshaw (Central Saint Martins, UK), Yichun Liu (Royal Academy of Antwerp, Belgium), Yvonne Schichtel (Royal Academy of Antwerp, Belgium). Working across womenswear, menswear, and gender-crossing designs, they draw inspiration from love and memory, London’s overlooked streets, Hong Kong, a mother’s story, the Arte Povera movement, and archaeology. Together, their collections show exceptional range, craft, and personal voice.
“Selecting this year’s finalists has been genuinely exciting. Each of their portfolios captures exactly the spirit of creativity, craftsmanship and innovation we set out to champion when we relaunched the award. And pairing them with such a distinguished jury means they’ll be seen, challenged and supported by people who have shaped the industry themselves,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M.
Key Initiatives and Awards
The finalists were selected from BA and MA programs at more than 70 leading fashion schools worldwide, with their portfolios showing exceptional creativity, craftsmanship and innovation. The overall winner of the H&M Design Award will receive a €150,000 endowment and a year-long tailored mentorship, covering production, marketing and PR, and sustainability and circularity, with their collection produced and sold in selected H&M stores worldwide and online.
New H&M Scholarship Programme at Central Saint Martins
For 2026, the H&M Design Award is launching a scholarship programme at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London to help talented students pursue fashion education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Two UK or international students accepted onto the BA (Hons) Fashion course will receive support throughout their three-year studies, while two final-year students will receive maintenance scholarships annually for three years.
Together, these initiatives build on the H&M Design Award’s longstanding commitment to supporting the next generation of designers. Returning after a six-year hiatus, the award aims to give emerging talent a meaningful start and bring their ideas to a wider audience. By producing and selling the winner’s collection, H&M will make new creative talent accessible to customers around the world, in keeping with its mission of bringing fashion to the many.
Photo: Stefan Cooke H&M Design Award Winner 2018 - H&M
