We hardly consider style, trendiness, or colour preferences when it comes to children’s clothing. We imagine that if it fits, and it suits the purpose, then they’ll like it. However, there is a company that has taken a different approach and asked the children – the wearers – to design what it is they want, not just a replica of their parents’ closets.
Ackermans hosts a yearly competition called Style Squad. It is a contest for aspiring young designers aged between 9 and 15 years. Launched in 2015, the competition has been a massive inspiration for kids and teens in South Africa. Ackermans online has all the previous competitors’ history, and it highlights the journey these kids take to becoming designers for the megastore.
Due to the global pandemic, there was no 2020 hosting of the competition, and we await to hear from the Style Squad team if this should change. However, here’s a snippet of what you can look forward to if your child has entered or is considering entering Style Squad this year.
The children submit their designs based on specific competition criteria for that year. The contestants are then narrowed down from 100 to 10 finalists. Only 2 winners should remain standing, a young lady and a young man. The finalists receive the following:
- Exposure on the Style Squad TV show, website, and various social media platforms
- The title of Style Squad finalist
- Style Squad hamper valued at R1 000
- Ackermans vouches worth R2 500 each
The 2 winners receive:
- Their winning designer range sold in stores across Southern Africa
- Title of Style Squad winners
- Style Squad hamper valued at R1 000 each
- R10 000 cash each
- R10 000 educational policy each
- R5 000 each for their schools
- Professional shoot in their winning clothing range
- Exposure on the Style Squad TV show, website, and various social media platforms
Photo By: Nandhu Kumar on Unsplash
The show does more than just select winners; it encourages all the children to chase their dreams as it exposes them to what they feel they want to get into in the future. It also invocates a sense of pride in children as they take ownership of the whole process, from the design of their pieces to the final approval. Articles on sites like iol and all4women have lauded the competition, calling it exciting and encouraging young people to pursue their dreams.
The children are also paired with buyers and some marketing team members to give them a whole experience of working in fashion. This experience opens their minds and eyes to the different elements that make a fashion house work. Also, the Ackermans team has the privilege of experiencing what children want in, and for their clothes, at a very elementary level. Functionality is one thing, fashion another – having them work together for children by children surely gives the in-house designers a glimpse into what children actually want.
Photo By: Lavi Perchik onUnsplash
This experience is also good for the young designers’ families, their education, and their schools because of the prizes. It also ingrains a sense of community. We applaud the young designers and look forward to their growth as entrepreneurs in the industry from now going forward!
