The European Fashion Award “Fash” has been presented by the Stiftung der Deutschen Bekleidungsindustrie (German Fashion Industry Foundation) – SDBI annually since 2005. It was honored by the location initiative of German government and business world “Germany – Land of Ideas”, as a “Selected Landmark 2008”. The SDBI was founded by the fashion entrepreneur Klaus Steilmann in 1978. The goal of the non-profit foundation is pioneering promotion of talented young people.
Consumer behavior is becoming continuously more varied and diverse. Not only young people put together their wardrobes in the “supermarket of styles”, but instead almost all age and style groups. When it is done well, it is a chance to express one’s own culture. Consequently, customers surf between fashion worlds, break up the culture and identity of brands and merge them with other sectors and genres to express their own identity. This can be upgrade or understatement, work or leisure time, style or sport, haute couture or casual, function or communication as well as an aim among the trendsetters or unknowingly in the mass market.
This is a challenge for traditional fashion, because the explicitness of brands is clashing increasingly with the variety of life. This hybrid fashion is also a challenge for designers with their brands.
Is there need for innovative clothing systems with multiple functions? Is it a question of combining several genres to create a new one? It is sufficient to design an open system? Do digital strategies such mapping, sampling, hacking or copy and paste provide strategies for consumers to stage their own looks? Or is the solution less in fashion design and more in new design of distribution and/or other forms of communication?

1. Analysis
The first part of the work to be submitted should be your own analysis of today’s clothing paradigm. Your own viewpoint is important, regardless of on the street or in wardrobes. The analysis results must be documented and supplemented by the entrants’ own photographs. Blogs and fashion magazines are not permitted.
In a second step, the independent analysis should be supported by research in appropriate publications such as market studies, books or articles.

2. Concept
The concept on the topic “New Diversity” should be based on the analysis. The designs must fulfill high demands, i.e., be original and coherent while geared to the market at the same time (which does not mean following trends).
Consequently, you must state your ideas about your concept and planning of social, economic, cultural and political processes as well as reflection on them.

3. Design
Based on this solid concept, the third part of the work should express the results in a collection with at least four outfits. Two outfits should be submitted for Jury Meeting. Prizewinners obligate themselves to produce two to four additional outfits by 12 January 2009 at the latest and send them to Munich. The complete collection is planned to be exhibited.
You may select any segment (business, leisure or sports clothing) and genre. Supplementary accessories are possible. Entrants can also choose whether they design womenswear, menswear or complete collections, depending on the analysis. The design can be for any season.