Season Zero design contest for emerging designers opens submissions 

Fred Segal and Black in Fashion Council have launched the second annual Season Zero design contest, an initiative to support emerging Black designers and artists sponsored by Mastercard.

The design competition, which initially launched in 2020, offers early-stage up-and-coming Black designers with funding, mentorship, and a retail platform to help kick-start their brand. They will receive 10,000 US dollars, 1:1 mentorship with representatives from Fred Segal and Mastercard, and the chance to have their collection produced, showcased and sold at their own pop-up space at Fred Segal’s Flagship Sunset Blvd location and online.

Submissions are open until February 28 to all designers and artists within the fashion and creative industries without a current brick and mortar or retail footprint. Entries will then be reviewed by a panel of judges, including Black in Fashion Council co-founder Lindsay Peoples Wagner, designer and Yowie founder Shannon Maldonado, founder of Cross Colors, and Black Design Collective’s TJ Walker.

The designers will be judged on “creativity, execution, and vision expressed through the collection,” explained organisers, with the winner set to be announced on March 31 and the resulting collection available from September. 


Fred Segal chief executive and owner, Jeff Lotman, said in a statement: “Fred Segal remains dedicated to continue learning, growing, and making strides towards diversity, equity and inclusion as a brand today, and everyday. 


“It’s extremely important to us that we’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk, which is why the second iteration of the Season Zero design contest and supporting and mentoring young, diverse creators is so important to us.”


The winners will follow in the footsteps of Connor McKnight, K.ngsley, and House of Aama, who were named the inaugural Season Zero winners in 2020.