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Student Designer Competition 2025 – Threads of Eatonville: Past, Present & Forward
Showcase your creativity on an international stage. Apply now to be part of the African Fashion Council’s Student Designer Competition, presented by Eatonville Rising as part of the Pan African Fashion & Food Expo (PAFFE) 2027.
About the Competition
The Student Designer Competition is a unique platform for emerging fashion talents to explore storytelling, sustainability, and innovation. Finalists will be selected to present their capsule collections at the African Fashion Pavilion NYC Activation in November 2025.
Theme: Threads of Eatonville – Past, Present & Forward
Student Designers are invited to translate the heritage and renewal of Eatonville, Florida—one of America’s first self-governed Black towns—into contemporary fashion storytelling.
Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Finalist Announcement: October 16, 2025
NYC Showcase & Jury Presentation: November 11, 2025
Collections should reflect:
Historical Legacy: Inspired by Eatonville’s spirit of self-determination and community pride
Cultural Continuity: Celebrating African and African American traditions, crafts, and textiles
Future Vision: Presenting sustainable and inclusive silhouettes that shape tomorrow
“Eatonville Rising – Sacred Ground and Storied Eyes: An Intellectual Journey,” presented by the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, Inc. (P.E.C.) with funding provided, in part, by the Orange County (Florida) Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.