Iwisa No.1 has opened entries for its 2026 Iwisa No.1 Designer Search, inviting South African creatives aged 18 to 35 to design a sports-streetwear collection inspired by the brand’s heritage, local culture and contemporary youth style. This year’s edition carries extra weight, marking Iwisa No.1’s 70th anniversary since its 1956 launch.
What Makes This Iwisa No.1 Designer Search Different
Unlike past editions, this year’s Iwisa No.1 Designer Search offers winners more than recognition. The winning entry will become the official Iwisa No.1 Promoter Uniform, meaning the design moves from competition entry into a real, wearable product used by the brand. Entrants are asked to design a complete look: a collared jersey, straight-leg jogger, bucket hat, tote bag and socks, all built around a sports-inspired aesthetic rooted in Iwisa No.1’s community heritage.
Prizes in the Designer Search Go Beyond the Title
The competition has been structured to hand young creatives tools they can use well beyond the search itself. The overall winner receives a MacBook Pro worth up to R35,000, R10,000 in cash, and the opportunity to design the official Promoter Uniform. Second place walks away with an iPad worth up to R15,000, an Apple Pencil valued at R2,000, and R5,000 in cash, while third place receives noise-cancelling earphones and R5,000 in cash.
Part of Iwisa No.1’s 70-Year Story
Iwisa No.1 launched in 1956, and rather than only looking backward for its 70th anniversary, the brand is using the Iwisa No.1 Designer Search to look toward what comes next. Phumzile Nhlapo, premier senior brand manager of consumer staples, described the competition as a way to let young creatives help shape the brand’s future, calling it an extension of empowering the next generation to express themselves and connect with their culture.
The brief also reflects a broader focus on South African identity, asking entrants to interpret heritage, community and contemporary culture through fashion design.
A Past Winner Returns to the Iwisa Designer Search
Best Ncube, winner of the 2025 Designer Search, is returning this year as one of the competition’s lead ambassadors. His involvement gives this year’s entrants a real example of where the opportunity can lead, having already gone through the process himself.
How to Enter the Iwisa No.1 Designer Search
Entries are open to South Africans between 18 and 35 and close on 17 September 2026. Full competition guidelines, templates and terms and conditions are available through Iwisa No.1’s competition platform, with entries also promoted across the brand’s social media channels.
For a brand that has spent seven decades becoming part of South African households, this year’s Iwisa No.1 Designer Search hands young creatives a direct say in shaping what that legacy looks like next.
Read the original report from Bizcommunity. For more on how youth-led creativity is shaping South African brands, see Youth Power in Focus: 2025 Top 16 YOBAs Winners.
