Israeli designer wins Real Leather student fashion competition

Tal Zohar of Shenkar College won the 2026 Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition in Bangkok with a tennis-inspired leather outfit. The annual contest drew thousands of entries from more than 100 fashion colleges and spotlighted leather as a slow-fashion material for emerging designers.

Why it matters: - The competition is designed to position leather as a durable, lower-waste alternative in young designers’ work. - Organizers and judges framed the event as a way to push fashion toward slower, longer-lasting design. - The contest also gives students exposure to industry contacts and brands that can shape early careers.

What happened: - Tal Zohar of Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Israel won the 2026 Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition. - Zohar won with a look titled “The Neo-Heritage Tennis Club.” - The finals ended with a catwalk show and awards party at the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok. - The competition drew thousands of entries from students at more than 100 fashion colleges. - The awards ceremony was hosted by model and actress Cindy Bishop.

The details: - Zohar’s outfit drew on tennis imagery, the 1920s and 1970s, and the geometry of a tennis court. - The design included a leather jacket quilted to suggest racquet strings. - The look was paired with a tight-pleated leather skirt, a sun visor and a leather ball bag. - The outfit used entirely natural materials. - The competition brief required natural fibers and at least 50% bovine leather. - The annual contest is supported by the Leather and Hide Council of America. - Judges came from fashion, retail and leather production and design. - The judge panel included Wasin Thumrongsakunvong, Christopher Koerber, Polpat “Moo” Asavaprapha, Ashin Zhou and Adrien Roberts. - Other 2026 category winners included Siang-Ying Lu in Accessories, Roscha Dinler in Footwear, Tran Trong Nghi Nguyen for People’s Choice and Kittidech Chankraithong as Host Nation Representative.

Between the lines: - The competition’s message is that leather can fit into sustainable fashion without relying on plastics or untested materials. - Koerber said the winning work combined “stunning design, commercial application and sustainable delivery.” - Brozyna said natural fibers can help reduce plastics-based pollution and waste. - Brozyna also said the leather industry diverts millions of hides from landfill each year. - The contest is also a recruiting pipeline. Alumni have gone on to work at brands including Louboutin, Dior, Loewe, Louis Vuitton and New Balance.

What’s next: - The competition will continue as an annual platform for student designers working with leather. - Organizers will keep promoting leather as a material for commercial fashion and long-term wear. - The judges and sponsors are likely to use the contest to identify emerging talent and future industry hires.

The bottom line: - Zohar’s win gave the competition a clear example of its pitch: fashion can be creative, commercially viable and more durable at the same time. - More information: the competition’s social channels, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, Snapchat