Zlin Design Week opens registration for the 17th edition of the international Best in Design competition. The competition offers young creators the opportunity to present their projects to an international jury, gain valuable contacts and compete for the Best in Design title and financial prizes of up to 1,500 euros. Individuals and creative teams under 30 can apply for free from December 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026.
The international Best in Design competition has long been an integral part of the week-long design festival Zlin Design Week. Every year, it helps to create new collaborations, inspires across disciplines and contributes to the young faces of design becoming known to experts and the general public.
Competition categories where you can shine
You can enter one of four categories: Product & Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Communication Design or Service Design. The competition also includes a special Media Award, the winner of which is selected by representatives of the media closely associated with design.
“Our goal is to give young designers a real space to excel – not only to compete, but also to establish contacts, get quality feedback and find opportunities for their further professional development,” says Šárka Doležalová, Director of Best in Design.
Who will be judging you?
Each category is judged by a three-member expert jury consisting of not only prominent Czech and foreign design personalities, but also of finalists from previous years of the competition. This year, the jury will include, for example, Anna Marešová (ANNA MARESOVA DESIGNERS), the designer of the Prague T3 Coupé excursion tram, Dan Zucco, Janka Csernák (MOME), or Milan Flíček (OUR SHIFT), the winner of the Best in Design 2020 competition in the Fashion Design category. The jury will evaluate not only the design itself, but also its comprehensive execution, environmental sustainability, ergonomics and innovation.
“We strongly believe in a jury that consists of experts from different countries and fields. Each of them brings a different experience and perspective, thanks to which the participants will receive truly valuable feedback. The involvement of finalists from previous years also shows how connected our community is – and we are happy that they are returning to us in a new role and helping to advance the next generation of creators,” adds Šárka Doležalová.
From the submitted works, the jury will select ten semi-finalists in each category, from which three will then advance to the finals. The winners of the individual categories and the overall winner of Best in Design will be announced in May during the festival at the ceremony.
What you will take away from the competition
The absolute winner will receive the title of Best in Design and a financial award of 1,000 euros. The winners of the individual categories will receive a financial award of 500 euros. The other finalists will not leave empty-handed either though – second place is awarded 300 euros and third place 200 euros. However, one of the greatest advantages of the competition is the opportunity to get direct feedback from leading figures in the field, and establish new professional connections.
How to register
You can submit applications for the Best in Design competition from December 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026 via the Zlin Design Week website in the Best in Design section. Projects are submitted using the application form. Participation is completely free and a designer or design team under the age of 30 can submit an unlimited number of projects. The only condition is that the submitted work must not be older than two years.
So what? Now you know where to find the application form. Just pull your work out of the drawer and send it in!
