Raising Talents: Emerging Designers Competition

Home Centre, one of the region’s leading home retailers, is launching a design competition in collaboration with the Dubai Design & Fashion Council (DDFC) for young and emerging talent in the region.

With the aim of promoting design, the contest will focus on themes reflecting UAE culture, resonating with the people and heritage of the gulf region.

The competition is to design a print collection inspired by the UAE/Arabian gulf region for a limited edition, coordinating homeware collection of textiles and tableware.

The best print designs will feature on select Home Centre products and will be displayed in the retailer’s flagship store in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai. Furthermore, the winner will win a three-month long internship at the retailer’s head office which will involve participating in product development and getting the opportunity to gain some valuable skills required for developing commercial product ranges for mass market.

Students and emerging designers are asked to design a collection of prints and patterns which will be digitally printed on textile and ceramic home-ware products. The print collection should reflect the UAE & Gulf culture, connecting with the people and heritage of the region.

The prints need to have mass market retail appeal and be suitable for all the varied consumers’ tastes in the UAE. The prints should complement and fit the selected product types identified in the product specifications eg dinner set, cushion, comforter etc. Participating designers should carefully consider the subject matter and key motifs in the print designs, many familiar motifs like camels, horses, palm trees, mashrabiya and skylines are widely seen, participants should be innovative and create something which looks fresh & new. The designs can be placement and/or repeated patterns but needs to be visually exciting and commercial.

Prize:

  • Winner will receive physical product samples of their selected designs.
  • A 3 month long head office internship where they will take part in product development meetings/workshops/factory visits.
  • In store promotion and display of their products in the flagship Mall of the Emirates Home centre store.
  • A one-year free subscription to become a DDFC member

Eligibility:

  1. The Competition is only open to UAE – based university students and UAE  – based young designers who have less than 2 years of professional activity.
  2. No more than two entries can be submitted per person.
  3. Product Groups & Specifications that must apply on your print designs to all three product categories listed below:
  • Table Top
  • Round Dinner plate
  • Round Side plate
  • Bowl
  • Mugs (set of two)
  • Tea set
  • Espresso cups
  • Table Linen / Kitchen Linen
  • Table runner
  • Placemat
  • Napkin
  • Kitchen towel
  • Apron
  • Soft Furnishings
  • Cushion square (45cm L x 45cm W)
  • Comforter (240cm L x 260cm W)
  • Floor cushion/pouffe (56cm L x 56cm W x 30cm H)

 

For more information please click here to download the competition brief.

How to Apply:

 

Print designs should be submitted to anri.hamilton@landmarkgroup.com before the 30th of August in the following format::

  1. Raw files – Illustrator or photoshop files in high resolution (300dpi) of each print design.
  2. Visualisation of prints and patterns on selected product shape e.g. dinner plate, cushion, mug etc.
  3. PDF Presentation with images & photographs of inspiration mood boards, research, initial sketches, drawings, concepts, development work, final outcomes etc.
  4. Presentation of designs for the three product categories (table top, table line, soft furnishing) to the Home Centre team in Landmark head office (if short-listed).

 

Terms & Conditions:

 

  1. By participating in this competition you agree to the copy right of final short-listed designs to be owned by Home Centre. Home Centre will be committed to produce the designs of the winner of this competition.
  2. No more than two entries can be submitted per person.