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Design-a-Bag Competition 2026 Announcement
The Final Results Are Out!
We are thrilled to announce the results of the Design-A-Bag Competition 2026, which concluded with an exceptional Final Judging Ceremony on March 12 during APLF 2026 in Hong Kong. The judging panel has crowned Phan Nguyen Hoai Thuong from Vietnam as the overall winner for her inspiring and versatile creation, the Unbowed Bag—a symbol of endurance through chaos, representing strength, composure, and an unbowed spirit.
The Unbowed Bag
by Phan Nguyen Hoai Thuong, Vietnam
Remarkably, Hoai Thuong is a design student from Hoa Sen University, and the Unbowed Bag is actually her first-ever design, making her achievement all the more incredible. She is also the winner of the Design-A-Bag Vietnam Talent Edition held back in November during APLF ASEAN 2025. We are delighted to see her advance from the local stage to the global stage with such great success.
Hoai Thuong will receive an incredible prize package, including a 4-week Collection Development Design Course at Arsutoria School in Milan, valued at EUR 4,500, along with a EUR 1,000 accommodation allowance.
We are also pleased to announce our first runner-up, Zhuo Wei Si from China, for her practical yet functional creation, the Berlin Bag. Zhuo Wei Si will receive an 8-day training course at L.E.A.T.H.E.R Academy in Simona Tanning in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
Berlin Bag
by Zhuo Wei Si, China
Congratulations to our second runner-up as well, Nilgun Demirhan from Turkiye, with her innovative yoga bag, Belonging. Talented and creative, she sculpted a bag that perfectly blends athleisure with her lifestyle. All three finalists will be awarded USD 500 cash prize and a 1 year subscription to www.arstrends.com, to Trends Guide “ARSUTORIASTUDIO” valued at USD 550.
BELONGING
by Nilgun Demirhan, Turkiye
Who Is This Year’s DAB26 Online Favourite Design Winner?
The Cogon Bag
by Arvie Valencia, United Arab Emirates
With over 400 likes, our most popular design – The Cogon Bag, by Arvie Valencia from United Arab Emirates– wins the Favorite Design Winner title, taking home a 1-year subscription to www.arstrends.com, and free access to Trends Guide (valued at USD 550).
Congratulations to all of our winners and a sincere thank you to our dearest sponsors, as well as everyone who participated, supported, and witnessed this event—it would not be a success without you. DAB 2027 will tentatively open for entries in September this year, so stay tuned!
What is Design-A-Bag Competition?
Design-A-Bag (DAB) Online Competition is the only bag designing event of its kind for designers and design students all over the world.
The competition is part of an initiative by Fashion Access and APLF. The annual event brings together a global design community to the Fashion Access trade fair. Designers can showcase their creations to the world and exchange design concepts among talents from various cultures and backgrounds.
WHO CAN JOIN?
- Design Students
- Freelance Designers
PRIZES
Our winners’ prizes:
- A free trip to Hong Kong for Fashion Access 2026 to attend events for Design-A-Bag Competition
- USD 500 cash prize
- 4-Weeks Collection Development Design Course at Arsutoria School, Milan valued at EUR 4,500
- One-year subscription to www.arstrends.com
- Free access to Trends Guide “ARSUTORIASTUDIO” valued at USD 550
- 8-Days Training Program at Simona Tanning L.E.A.T.H.E.R. Academy in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
- Editorial Exposure on www.designaccess-fa.com & www.aplf.com
