• BMW and British Vogue search for the next generation of design stars in fashion and jewellery. 
• Aspiring designers challenged to create a piece inspired by the pioneering BMW Vision Neue Klasse vehicles. 
• Destiny Pinto, Joaquin Flores and Selina Kwong chosen as winners, each presenting innovative designs centred around circularity
• Winners received expert mentorship from the BMW Design team in Munich and awarded £5,000 to finalise their designs.

BMW has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to supporting emerging talent by partnering with British Vogue to launch the Future Creators Design Competition – a search for the next generation of fashion and jewellery design stars.

Judged by renowned fashion designer Simone Rocha, British Vogue Fashion Features Director Julia Hobbs, and BMW Senior Colour and Materials Designer Charlotte Kanters, the competition invited aspiring designers, including students and recent graduates, to create a piece inspired by the sleek lines and pioneering technology of BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse vehicles.

The BMW Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X preview the next generation of BMW vehicles launching from the end of 2025, highlighting innovations in electrification, digitalisation and circularity. The BMW brand is already progressing towards a more circular future today, using secondary materials across many of its current models – for example, in the floor mats of the BMW iX and BMW X1.

The competition drew an extraordinary response, with hundreds of entrants showcasing remarkable creativity. During the judging process, Kanters sought designs rooted in circularity which, as she put it, “captured the philosophy of the Neue Klasse” by incorporating recycled materials to enhance the product. Meanwhile, Hobbs looked for “a new definition of luxury.”

After careful consideration, the judging panel narrowed down the talented list of applicants to three deserving winners: Destiny Pinto, Joaquin Flores and Selina Kwong.

Destiny Pinto, 22, BA Design for Art Direction graduate, University of the Arts London.

Destiny Pinto's Design

Pinto’s entry was inspired by the Vision Neue Klasse’s human-centric design, as she transformed assistive medical devices from functional clinical aids into striking pieces of art. “Because of my arthritis,” Pinto explained, “I would wear a clinical-looking compression glove, my best friend at the time also wore a clinical-looking ostomy bag. As someone who was very interested in fashion and wanted to match things with what I was wearing, I decided to start there.”

Merging utility and style, Pinto’s designs included compression wear, prosthetics and her competition entry, a hearing aid which drew visual inspiration from the vision vehicles’ clear lines and kidney grille. Impressed by Pinto’s submission, Hobbs said, “It’s 2024 – we want a definition of luxury which embraces everybody and what she’s shown us is so intelligent, it’s inspired by her community and it’s pieces that look really incredible.”

Joaquin Flores, 24, BA Jewellery Design student, University of the Arts London.

Joaquin Flores' Design 

Flores combined his fascination with automotive engineering and jewellery-making skills to present plans for both a sculptural ring and innovative eyewear influenced by the Vision Neue Klasse’s distinctive silhouette. Concerned by the morality of mining and extracting precious metals, he opted to use secondary materials – such as scrapped vehicle components – in his designs. “You have to think about responsible design and how you’re not going to extract what you can reuse,” said Flores. Excited by the plans, Kanters commented, “I really liked that he was designing jewellery that reflects light the same way as the surface of the car. It was a really special approach, and I found it very inspiring.”

In line with Flores’ philosophy, forthcoming BMW Neue Klasse vehicles will contain a higher proportion of secondary raw materials and significantly reduced material variety to enhance circularity. In addition, the introduction of an improved dismantling concept will also help optimise the vehicle recycling process.

Selina Kwong, 24, MA Fashion graduate, Royal College of Art.

Selina Kwong's Design

Kwong persuaded the judging panel with her collection of intricate high-fashion garments made using recycled fishing nets. This waste material was a common sight in Kwong’s hometown, a Malaysian fishing village, and so she was particularly struck by BMW’s use of salvaged nets in the construction of its Neue Klasse Vision vehicles.

As both a homage to her heritage and a nod to BMW design, Kwong used fishing net threads to accessorise her pieces: “I was inspired by the traditional techniques of weaving from our culture used for making nets or small baskets for fishing,” said Kwong. During the judging process Rocha praised the “unexpected” material choice: “I think it’s very circular to bring it into a fashion context and to think of it as a textile, as a garment.”

In recognition of their ideas, the talented trio each received £5,000 to help bring their designs to fruition and were invited to visit to the BMW Design Studio in Munich, where they received expert mentorship from the BMW Design team.

Equipped with their prize money and the valuable insights gained from their time in Munich, the three winners will continue to develop their final designs over the coming months. To follow the trio on their individual design journeys, keep an eye on British Vogue’s Forces for Change website.

The Future Creators Design Competition will feature in the December issue of British Vogue. To learn more about the competition and BMW’s partnership with British Vogue, click here. For more information about the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, click here.