H&M reveals eight finalists for 2026 Design Award
H&M has revealed the eight finalists of the H&M Design Award 2026, along with the jury that will choose the winner, as the award returns after a six-year hiatus.
The finalists come from schools in Tokyo, London, Paris, Antwerp, Brussels and Florence, and work in womenswear, menswear and designs that cross both. Each will receive a €10,000 endowment to support the next step in their career.
Subscribe to TRBThis year’s jury includes Paloma Elsesser, Beka Gvishiani, IB Kamara, Luke Leitch, Calum Knight, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena of Chopova Lowena, Hillary Taymour and Ann-Sofie Johansson, who will assess the finalists’ collections.
The finalists were selected from BA and MA programmes at more than 70 leading fashion schools worldwide.
The overall winner will receive a €150,000 endowment and a year-long tailored mentorship covering production, marketing and PR, and sustainability and circularity. Their collection will also be produced and sold in selected H&M stores worldwide and online.
The winner will be announced in London later this year.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M, said: “Selecting this year’s finalists has been genuinely exciting. Each of their portfolios capture 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.”
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 years of study. Separately, two final-year students will receive maintenance scholarships annually for three years.
This year’s H&M Design Award finalists are:
Chico Yu
Bunka Fashion Graduate University, Japan
Ennis Finnerty Mackay
CSM, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK
Evelina Kryvopust
Polimoda, Italy
Fantin Delattre Pirenne
École Nationale Superieure des Arts Visuels da La Cambre, Belgium
Jessica Lin
IFM, Institute Francais de la Mode, France
Macy Grimshaw
CSM, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK
Yichun Liu
Royal Academy of Antwerp, Belgium
Yvonne Schichtel
Royal Academy of Antwerp, Belgium
