As a prestigious international fashion design competition in China,the"Dalian Cup"Youth Fashion Design Competition has spanned thirty-three years,gathering creativity and dreams from young designers worldwide.It has witnessed generations of emerging talents grow into the backbone of Chinese fashion,while deeply rooting itself in Dalian to provide a national spotlight for local talent.The competition strongly promotes the professional and international growth of Dalian's designer community,continuously injecting robust vitality into the influence of Chinese clothing design.
　　I
　　Event Overview
　　1.Title
　　The 34th"Dalian Cup"Youth Fashion Design Competition
　　2.Theme
　　在地寻绎
　　Exploration and interpretation of local culture
　　*Interpretation:
　　"Local"emphasizes respect for the roots of specific regional cultures—whether local customs,historical heritage,or folk crafts—all serving as fertile ground for design inspiration."Exploration and interpretation"implies the sorting,decoding,and re-creation of cultural symbols,examining local culture through a global lens to achieve a leap from"cultural extraction"to"design regeneration."
　　This Theme aims to guide young designers to deeply excavate regional cultural genes and transform local wisdom into contemporary design language.It encourages designers not only to be listeners and translators of regional culture but also to examine the relationship between tradition and modernity with innovative thinking,constructing a design discourse imbued with Oriental aesthetic spirit within a global context.Design should transcend the superficial beauty of regional symbols to convey underlying lifestyles,philosophical concepts,and emotional memories.Ultimately,at the intersection of fashion and technology,we seek a value upgrade from"locality"to"globality,"injecting sustainable cultural vitality into global fashion.Let us reconstruct fashion narratives with cultural genes and activate the future of design with local spirit.
　　II
　　Organizational Structure
　　Guiding Units:China National Textile and Apparel Council,The People's Government of Dalian Municipality.
　　Host Units:China Fashion Association,Dalian Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.
　　III
　　Awards&Participant Benefits
　　This competition features two separate tracks:the"Global Track"and the"Dalian Track".This aims to gather cutting-edge international design power while highlighting Dalian's industrial heritage and urban charm as a"Fashion Capital."The"Dalian Track"encourages outstanding designers rooted in the region to participate,jointly promoting the transformation,upgrading,and high-quality development of Dalian's apparel industry.
　　ⅰ.Awards
　　1.Global Track
　　First Prize(1 winner):RMB 50,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Second Prize(2 winners):RMB 20,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Third Prize(3 winners):RMB 10,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Excellence Award(Several):Certificate.
　　Note:Prizes include personal income tax,which will be withheld by the organizing committee.
　　2.Dalian Track
　　First Prize(1 winner):RMB 30,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Second Prize(2 winners):RMB 20,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Third Prize(3 winners):RMB 10,000(pre-tax)+Trophy+Certificate.
　　Excellence Award(Several):Certificate.
　　Note:Prizes include personal income tax,which will be withheld by the organizing committee.
　　ⅱ.Participant Benefits
　　Accommodation:All shortlisted contestants are responsible for their own transportation and meals to Dalian for the preliminaries,finals,and award ceremony.Free accommodation will be provided for contestants residing outside the administrative jurisdiction of Dalian.
　　Co-working Space:Shortlisted contestants will receive a one-year free usage right to designated maker spaces(providing basic office and creative space).Specific service content,usage rules,and rights/obligations shall be subject to the official residency agreement signed between the contestant and the organizing committee.
　　Runway Show Package:Preferential access to exclusive runway show opportunities and service packages(Including discounted prices for venues,equipment,choreography,some models,makeup and styling,dressing assistants,photography and videography,etc.)
　　IV
　　Competition Format
　　The competition consists of two groups:"Global Track"and"Dalian Track."
　　ⅰ.Global Track
　　Eligibility:Open to independent designers with original brands worldwide,fashion designers working for clothing companies,teachers from fashion institutions,and current postgraduate,undergraduate,and vocational students.
　　Requirements:Age 45 or under(born after January 1,1980).No nationality or regional restrictions.
　　Shortlist:20 entries will be selected for the final round.
　　ⅱ.Dalian Track
　　Eligibility:Open to independent designers with original brands and professional designers with at least one year of experience in clothing design companies.Contestants must work,reside,or study in Dalian and provide relevant proof.
　　Requirements:Age 45 or under(born after January 1,1980).No nationality or regional restrictions.
　　Shortlist:10 entries will be selected for the final round.
　　*Important Notes:
　　Contestants may only choose one track to register for.Please clearly tick the chosen track("Global Track"or"Dalian Track")on the registration form.Unclear selections or duplicate registrations will be considered invalid.
　　Each series is limited to one designer.Each contestant may submit only one series of works.
　　V
　　Work Requirements
　　Category:Men’s/Women’s Pret-a-Porter(Materials unlimited).
　　Season:Autumn/Winter Collection.
　　Concept:Designs must align with the theme,conform to international trends and market demands,and possess distinct contemporary and regional cultural characteristics.
　　Composition:Each entry must consist of 3 complete looksbased on the same concept.
　　1 look:Conceptual design with divergent thinking.
　　2looks:Practical designs with commercial attributes(must specify target market and occasion).
　　Design Draft Specification:
　　Page 1:Color illustration(rendering)and design theme.
　　Subsequent Pages:Inspiration sources(Mood Board),design concept,technical flats(construction drawings),fabric swatches,etc.
　　Size:A3(297mm x 420mm),preferably horizontal layout.
　　Length:Max 4 pages total.Bind all pages before mailing.
　　Anonymity:To ensure fair judging,do NOTinclude any personal identification(name,school/company,contact info).Violations will result in disqualification.
　　Originality&Execution:Works must be completed independently by the contestant.Physical garments must match the submitted sketches,featuring complete structure,fine craftsmanship,full accessories,and perfect presentation.
　　Plagiarism:Works must be original and unpublished.Contestants must sign and submit the Letter of Commitment for Original Work.Plagiarism or malicious imitation is strictly prohibited.Works cannot be submitted to multiple contests simultaneously.Violators will be disqualified,and legal consequences will be borne by the contestant.
　　VI
　　How to Enter
　　Registration:（Select either online or email）
　　Online:Log in to the official contest page(dlcup.eeff.net)to upload digital design drafts and register.
　　Mail:Overseas designers are required to submit electronic design drafts,registration forms,and originality commitment letters via email.(If you plan to participate in the Dalian track,please also send a copy of your supporting documents)
　　*Please download the file at the end of the article.Keep a copy for your records.No manuscripts will be returned.
　　Scan to register online
　　Tel/WeChat:+86  (WeChat ID)
　　Email:daliancup@163.com
　　Produce ready-to-wear clothing：
　　The finalists will produce ready-to-wear clothing based on their design submissions and bring their actual physical works to DaLian to participate in the preliminaries and finals.
　　Ⅶ
　　Judging Process
　　Preliminary Round:Professional judges conduct offline portfolio reviews to select finalists.
　　Semi-final&Final:Shortlisted contestants present their physical collections.Winners are selected based on collection defense(Q&A)and runway showcase.
　　Ⅷ
　　Schedule
　　Now to June 30,2026:Online registration&design draft submission.
　　July 1st to July 10,2026:Preliminary judging&public announcement of shortlist.
　　July 10 to Late August 2026:Notification of shortlisting&garment production phase.
　　Late August 2026(TBD):Semi-finals,Finals&Award Ceremony.
　　Ⅸ
　　Important Notes
　　The organizing committee reserves the right to reproduce,publicize,exhibit,and publish submitted works without additional compensation.For winning entries,copyright(excluding moral rights/attribution)belongs to the organizing committee for both commercial and non-commercial use.
　　Post-final,one complete set(garments+accessories)of each 1st,2nd,and 3rd prize-winning entry will be retained by the committee for promotion,exhibition,and collection.
　　Contestants guarantee they hold full intellectual property rights and that entries do not infringe on third-party rights.The committee bears no responsibility for IP infringement;all legal liabilities and claims arising from such issues are the sole responsibility of the contestant.
　　The organizing committee reserves the final right of interpretation for this competition.
　　Official account
　　Official WeChat official account
　　Official WeChat video account
　　1.Letter of Commitment for Original Works in the 34th Dalian Cup Youth Fashion Design Competition.pdf
　　2.Application Form for the 34th Dalian Cup Youth Fashion Design Competition.docx

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