The TITIKA Challenge
Activewear Design Contest
for aspiring fashion students
in Canada and China
FALL 2021
presented by
Be one of twelve finalists to showcase your design in
Toronto, Fall 2021.
Travel and accommodation provided by TITIKA
Prizes totaling over $10,000
The Essence
the company
TITIKA Active Couture is a women’s fashion driven active wear brand, founded in Toronto, Canada, in 2009. In 2018, TITIKA officially launched in China where it experienced unprecedented success.
As the BBC reported, TITIKA aims for "something different" that merges sports and fashion. It emphasizes the interplay of fabric, cut and performance, while at the same time conveying aesthetically visual appeal.
aspiring designers
Eileen Zhang, the company’s founder, is the Chief Creative Officer of TITIKA. She has always been committed and supportive of the development of up-and-coming design talent in Canada. She is now interested in extending this support to China, where she is originally from.
TITIKA is proud to announce the launch of a design competition involving fashion schools in both Canada and China. The focus is to prepare aspiring designers for the realities of the fashion industry and provide them with an opportunity to be recognized.
the event at a glance
All participating schools will receive a package containing
the following:
- A theme
- An inspiration board
- Samples of pre-selected fabrics
- A manual (rules & regulations, evaluation criteria, key dates, etc.)
Each participating school will be responsible for selecting a maximum of 5 collection sketches to be sent to TITIKA.
A panel of experts will then select the 12 finalists, who will proceed to sew their designs with the chosen fabrics that will be provided by TITIKA.
The 12 finalists will present their collections on the runway at an event sponsored by TITIKA in Toronto, in the fall of 2021.
The five collections that demonstrate respect for the theme, technical skills and creativity will be awarded a cash prize totaling C$10,000.
key dates
Dec 2020 – Jan 2021
Selection of fabrics and jury members
Feb 28, 2021
Official Launch of the TITIKA Challenge to schools in both Canada and China
April 30, 2021
Deadline to receive sketches from students to TITIKA headquarters in Canada
May 22, 2021
Selection of finalists by jury members
May 30, 2021
Submission of key information requirements, e.g. fabric
selection, participant information, etc. to TITIKA
Jun 15, 2021
Shipment of fabric and trim by TITIKA to finalists’ schools
Jun – Sep 2021
Sewing and finishing of garments
Sep 30, 2021
Deadline to receive completed garments at TITIKA headquarters in Canada
End July 2021
Submission of travel information
Oct - Nov 2021
Competition finals
The Theme
Hope
….. an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large.
There are two themes of hope that we would like our participants
to build on:
- A desire for renewal
or - A feeling of elation
After a year when the world has been traumatized by a pandemic, economic collapse and polarized political opinions, 2021 is a year that is full of promise, understanding and new opportunities.
Essentially, 2021 is a year full of hope, which boosts confidence and points to a willingness to succeed. Very often, opportunity is borne out of crisis, but to take advantage of it one needs to be agile, flexible, step out of one’s comfort zone, and above all …
HOPE
The TITIKA Challenge is to design with optimism.
Inspiration Boards
RENEWAL
ELATION
Fabric Selection
The Rules
The rules cover five main areas of the competition:
- Eligibility
- The Sketches
- The Outfit
- Evaluation Criteria
- The Prizes
For questions please contact
Media
Most young designers have limited exposure to media. As such, this competition is an incredible opportunity to design students in terms of visibility and coverage.
Media can help their careers as up-and-coming fashion designers, but can also expose them to investors, customers, buyers and partners.
However, being approached by media can be a daunting experience for most young designers. We have, therefore, prepared the following table of Do’s and Don’ts when asked by media for an interview.
Do’s
- Be on time
- Answer questions in clear
- and concise manner
- Try to provide exclusive information about yourself
- and your collection
- Smile, be enthusiastic
- Be true to yourself
Don’t
- Delay media requests
- Assume that the journalist understands all the technical terms related to the fashion industry
- Be a diva
- Be impolite
media information sheet
A media information sheet has been prepared and can be found as Appendix C in the competition Rules & Regulations.
Finalists are requested to complete this form with as much detail as possible and email it to TITIKA’s contact person no later than July 30, 2021.