Experience Authenticity. Stand Out. Taipei to Stage Pivotal 2025 Global Final
Hot off the Press!
Get ready, fashion forward folks! The Leather & Hide Council of America (LHCA) has picked Taipei, Taiwan, as the sizzling hotspot for the fifth annual Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) International Student Design Competition finale, slated for October 27-28, 2025.
The Cat's Outta the Bag – Meet the Judges 2025!
Following rockin' events in London and Milan, this competition is now pointing its fashionable finger towards Taipei, marking Asia's rising star as a global haven for innovation and design.
The glitzy finale will go down at AMBI SPACE ONE, Taiwan's cutting-edge, immersive venue nestled within the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper – the world's tallest green building. This high-tech, creative, and eco-friendly hub is the epitome of where technology, creativity, and sustainability intersect at the core of RLSD's mission.
Category winners in Apparel, Footwear, Accessories, and the People's Choice, along with the RLSD Taiwan 2025 overall winner, will embark on an all-expenses-paid trip to Taipei. The finalists will show off their sustainable leather creations to a star-studded panel of industry experts, including Christopher Koerber (Managing Director at Hugo Boss), Mike Adler (international celebrity stylist), Kora Hsieh (Editor-in-Chief, Harper's BAZAAR Taiwan), Adrien Roberts (International fashion education consultant), and the renowned fashion influencer Yu Lee.
Christopher Koerber, Managing Director at Hugo Boss and a long-time supporter of RLSD, said, "Supporting the RLSD competition never fails to fulfill. Bringing the 2025 final to Taipei is a game-changer, offering an extraordinary platform for nurturing young talent and inspiring designers to go green and embrace eco-friendly materials like leather. This is a crucial initiative that promotes innovation and environmentally responsible practices that are vital in shaping the future of fashion."
Kerry Brozyna, President of the Leather & Hide Council of America, stated, "In just five short years, RLSD has cemented its status as a globally recognized force, successfully advocating for leather as a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials. Hosting the international finale in Taipei signifies a new chapter, reflecting our ongoing commitment to leadership, innovation, and empowering the next generation of designers. This is merely the start of our vision – a world where sustainable natural materials reign supreme for designers everywhere."
Finalists will benefit from tons of media attention and the opportunity to feature their designs in the prestigious RLSD Capsule Collection, showcased at renowned fashion and sustainability events throughout the year.
The competition is open to current fashion students and graduates from 2023 or 2024. Entries containing at least 50% cattle hide leather must fall under one of three categories: Apparel, Footwear, or Accessories.
The clock is ticking! Entries need to be submitted before the deadline of 11:59 pm (BST), 30 June 2025. For more details on how to enter, head on over to rlsd.internationaldesigncomp.com.
About Real Leather. Stay Different.Real Leather. Stay Different. is a worldwide crusade that has touched the lives of 750 million people and hundreds of thousands of students. It champions leather (and other natural materials) and encourages reusing society's waste, particularly hides from the dairy and meat industries, before turning to petrochemical industries for man-made materials. Leather – flexible, durable, and the natural answer to fast fashion.
About Arts ThreadArts Thread is the online platform for emerging artists & designers, launching the next generation of creative talent. Arts Thread boasts relationships with over 950 creative institutions, connecting to over 400,000 students in approximately 130 countries. The site partners with leading brands, organizations, events, and media to help launch the next generation of creative talent globally. Dig deeper at www.artsthread.com.
- The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) International Student Design Competition, a globally recognized advocate for leather as a sustainable alternative, is hosting its fifth annual finale in Taipei, showcasing innovation and design in fashion, technology, and sustainability.
- Finalists of the competition, which is open to current fashion students and graduates from 2023 or 2024, will exhibit their sustainable leather creations to industry experts, including Christopher Koerber from Hugo Boss, fashion influencer Yu Lee, and Kora Hsieh, Editor-in-Chief of Harper's BAZAAR Taiwan.
- Winners will embark on an all-expenses-paid trip to Taipei, where they can showcase their designs in the Home & Garden setting of AMBI SPACE ONE, the immersive, eco-friendly hub nestled within the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper.
- The competition is part of a wider crusade by RLSD, which aims to inspire designers to embrace eco-friendly materials like leather and reduce waste from the dairy and meat industries, promoting sustainable living and lifestyle choices.
