While winning any design award is by no means a one-way ticket to success, it can still represent a career-defining moment for many emerging designers. The recognition and opportunity offered through global awards platforms can validate years of hard work, and in some cases, design as a career path itself. From arduous applications to moments of wavering self-confidence, we spoke to three young designers about their award experiences to discover what makes it all worth it.
An industrial designer and master’s student at Umeå Institute of Design, Silvester Koessler’s work has been recognized by some of the top design awards in the world, including Red Dot, iF Design Student Award and more recently, the WDO endorsed BraunPrize 2024, where his portable vehicle scale NWTN earned him a Gold prize of $10 000 USD.
In addition to seeing awards as powerful signals and “a seal of approval for your work”, Koessler also knows that it’s a privilege to be able to apply to awards. That’s why student awards are so important, he told us. Awards like BraunPrize and iF Design Student Award are fee free, making for a more equal and democratic process. “The only intention is to support upcoming designers,” he shares.
When it comes to winning, Koessler notes that it does add “a lot of credibility to my portfolio. The publicity has helped build a bigger following on social media. And with more eyes on my work, there’s a higher chance of opportunities down the road.” In addition to the visibility, the prize money is nice too. He’s watched fellow winners reinvest their winnings into tools and skills that are helping them grow. “Everyone that has been a student knows some extra money can make life so much easier.”
“Applying to awards takes a lot of extra work, so it’s very understandable that a lot of designers would rather spend that time on designing new things instead.” – Silvester Koessler
For Madilynn Cadaret, she wasn’t chasing accolades when she entered BRP’s 5th International Design Competition in 2023. The opportunity was in fact offered as a studio at WDO Educational Member College for Creative Studies where she earned her degree in transportation design. “A very interesting brief”, as Cadaret remembers.
Her design for an alternative personal transportation device, inspired by a child’s toy, came out on top, and she ended up taking home a paid internship at BRP’s Laurent Beaudoin Design & Innovation Center. “At the time, earning this award for me meant that I was rational in choosing this path for my lifelong career. I know that’s crazy — I participated in this competition my senior year and I still wasn’t convinced I wanted to do this with my life? But it was true. Receiving this award made me truly believe that I have legitimacy as a professional designer.”
Cadaret, who now works at car manufacturer Stellantis, sees her win as a formative experience, especially as it remains the first, and only, design competition she’s submitted work for. Winning not only provided the validation she needed as a designer, but also informed her professional journey, reminding her “that sometimes solutions to everyday problems require more creativity than production car design allows.”
“Just being recognized for having good design sense means the most to me. I work very hard to be good at what I do, and it was certainly nice to be validated by a team of professionals.” – Madilynn Cadaret
For Stanley Anigbogu, the benefits of winning go far beyond personal recognition. Based in Rwanda, Anigbogu is a creative technologist whose humanitarian design project ALLSPACE earned him a 2024 iF Design Student Award. Made of tarpaulin recycled from billboards and aluminum poles, Anigbogu’s modular emergency housing solution is inspired by the form of a traditional African hut and offers dignified, sustainable living for displaced individuals.
“While recognition and prize money are encouraging, the most valuable aspect for me is mentorship and exposure to diverse perspectives. These competitions should act as springboards, allowing ideas like ALLSPACE to gain traction, evolve, and ultimately become part of a larger movement for social innovation through design.”
While the win has of course elevated Anigbogu’s profile and initiated conversations with NGOs and government bodies interested in piloting the project in real communities, it has also, perhaps more importantly, affirmed that “a concept inspired by traditional African architecture could resonate globally and stand as a symbol of resilience, adaptability and hope.”
“If your work solves a real problem in a meaningful way, that’s what stands out. Awards are important, but the impact of your work is what lasts.” – Stanley Anigbogu
Ultimately, for young designers like Silvester, Madilynn and Stanley, winning isn’t about fame or fortune, it’s about validation, exposure and growth. Whether it’s a nudge toward confidence, a door to opportunity or a way to amplify ideas that matter, their collective stories demonstrate that awards are just one small part in the evolving journey that is being a professional designer.
