Harlem Festival of Culture and footwear brand Steve Madden have come together to put on the first HFC x Steve Madden design challenge. The partnership came about as a way to uplift, support and celebrate the innovation of Harlem’s creative community. The competition seeks to discover and highlight fresh, new local Harlem-based designers, graphic designers and visual creatives who have what it takes to help bring “the look” of the inaugural Harlem Festival of Culture to life when it kicks off in July 2023.
Applicants must apply by January 23, 2023. Five semi-finalists will be chosen and announced. They will be invited on February 9, 2023 to visit Steve Madden's headquarters and meet with the Mr. Madden and his design team.They will present their final design concepts at the Harlem Festival of Culture x Steve Madden Design Challenge finale event expected to be held in March 2023. Judges will include Steve Madden, HFC co-Founder Musa Jackson, celebrity stylists and fashion industry leaders. The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize and a paid fellowship with Steven Madden, LTD.
Audience members attending the design challenge finale will be given the opportunity to vote via mobile app and an additional prize of $5K will be awarded to one of the semi-finalists for the “Audience Favorite Design.”
“We are excited to partner with Steve Madden and to launch the Design Challenge which will provide a life-changing opportunity to up-and-coming talent," says HFC co-founder Nikoa Evans. "A very important part of our mission is to always find new and innovative ways to highlight and support this community and the brilliant creative energy coming out of it. With this being our first year, it is so important to us to establish meaningful partnerships like this one with Steve Madden on the ground floor. Holistic partnerships like these—which include both the Festival and the HFC Foundation—are essential to the brand’s growth and allow us to deepen our commitment to the Harlem community on every level.”
“It’s great to be part of bringing back an iconic music and cultural event in Harlem," adds founder, Creative & Design Chief Steve Madden. "I was stunned to learn that the original Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 only happened once and that the film archives were sitting in a basement for fifty years. Our company is so inspired by music and culture; it made perfect sense to be a part of this new iteration, and what better way to maximize it than with a design challenge to co-create product with Harlem-based talent.”
To learn more about the submission and entry process, visit hfcdesignchallenge.com.
