MANILA, Philippines - Because of the push for social responsibility and sustainability, “Weaving the Future: A Social Design Competition” has more rigorous criteria and mechanics this year. For aspiring applicants who want to compete in the apparel division, three design entries, each consisting of a three- to five-piece collection for the modern man or woman, are required. For those who wish to join the accessories division, applicants must submit three one-piece design entries that fall under the theme, “Weaving the Future.”
Applicants must also submit a developmental business plan that will help the judges gauge the social impact of the design entries:
People: Who and how many will benefit?
Planet: What are the organic materials (used)?
Profit: How much profit can be expected?
Positive Influence: What is the overall impact the designer hopes to achieve with the plan?
The applications will be screened according to the following criteria: originality and excellence in interpreting the theme, 35 percent; marketability, 20 percent; execution and workmanship, 20 percent; and social social impact, 25 percent. The entries will be narrowed down to the top 20 finalists, a combination of the 10 best entries from the two divisions. Each finalist will be paired with a social entrepreneur, a livelihood officer and a community representative who will overlook the execution of the proposed business development plan. The finalists will also be enrolled in an extensive mentoring program headed by FDCP’s Dong Omaga-Diaz and Jojie Lloren. The School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA) will also facilitate a customized training module for all the finalists during the mentoring phase of the competition. As the competition is also powered by Smart, the telecom company, along with PLDT, will also provide technical support in the form of Internet connection and means for communication to the 20 chosen communities that will work with the finalists.
Two winners will be awarded at the end of the competition, one for apparel and one for accessories. The winners will be awarded a two-year scholarship for fashion and marketing at SoFA, P200,000 from SM as capital for a proper business platform for their design endeavor, which they will work on with their livelihood-based community, cash grants from local government units, and six months’ subscription to PLDT WatchPad.
The winners will be announced during the Finals Night to be held at the PAGCOR Grand Theater on Nov. 22. Interested applicants may send their completed PFDC application forms with a scanned copy of all the required materials to weavingthefuture@gmail.com on or before Aug. 1. Application forms and guidelines are available at www.pldtwatchpad.com and may be requested through mobile number 0949-6885230.