Desigual launches Young Talents winning design

Spanish fashion label Desigual has launched a unisex hoodie designed by Central Saint Martins student Hannamariam Gonzalez, who won its Young Talents competition.

Desigual x Young Talents competition is an annual fashion design challenge involving students from 10 international schools, which is supported across the company’s product, marketing and HR departments. As well as the winning design going into production, the winner also receives promotion, design and campaign ideas.

For 2021, the competition received more than 500 entries after being challenged to design a bold piece from the pattern of one of Desigual’s best-selling sweatshirts. The only guidelines were to ensure that the design fit the essence and attributes of the brand: rebelliousness, non-conformism, diversity, optimism, as well as use innovation as a vehicle for expressing creativity, and to create the piece in 3D to reduce its environmental impact.

Winner Hannamariam Gonzalez created her hoodie design from recycled polyester featuring a vibrant print created using both 2D and 3D design software, which drew inspiration from augmented reality and the metaverse.

Gonzalez impressed the jury, which included Christian Lacroix and María Escoté with her marble design in orange, pink and black tones, and the design is now available to purchase through the Desigual website for 109 pounds.

For Desigual’s chief marketing officer, Guillem Gallego, Young Talents is a key strategic project, he said in a statement: “It is part of a series of initiatives being undertaken by Desigual to bring about a more open and collaborative approach. With a history spanning almost 38 years, we now find ourselves wanting to step out of our comfort zone, discover new proposals, understand the vision of other designers and incorporate unique and innovative ideas that will allow us to add freshness and energy to our collections while helping us to continue evolving as a brand.”