Iwisa No.1 is turning 70, and instead of simply looking back, the maize brand is handing its next chapter over to a new generation of South African designers.
Image supplied.
The 2026 Fills Bold Designer Search is now open to creatives aged 18 to 35, challenging them to design a sports-streetwear collection inspired by Iwisa No.1’s heritage, South African culture and contemporary youth style.
And this year, there is more at stake than simply having your design chosen.
Your design could become part of the brand
The winning designer will get the chance to create the official Iwisa No.1 Promoter Uniform, meaning their work will move beyond a competition entry and into the real world.
The brief is to create a complete sports-streetwear look made up of a collared jersey, straight-leg jogger, bucket hat, tote bag and socks.
Iwisa No.1 says it is looking for designs that bring together its legacy and community roots with a more contemporary, sports-inspired aesthetic.
For the winner, that means having their work worn as part of the brand itself, while also adding a very real project to their portfolio.
And the prizes are pretty useful, too
The competition has also been structured around giving young creatives tools they can actually use beyond the search.
The winner will receive, a MacBook Pro valued at up to R35,000, R10,000 in cash and the opportunity to design the official Iwisa No.1 Promoter Uniform.
The second-place winner will receive an iPad valued at up to R15,000, an Apple Pencil valued at up to R2,000 and R5,000 in cash.
Third place will take home noise-cancelling earphones and R5,000 in cash.
It’s part of Iwisa’s 70-year story
Iwisa No.1 launched in 1956 and is using its 70th anniversary to look at what comes next, rather than simply celebrating its history.
Phumzile Nhlapo, premier senior brand manager of consumer staples, says the competition is intended to give young creatives an opportunity to help shape the brand’s future.
“The Fills Bold Designer Search is an extension of that promise: empowering young next-generation creatives to express themselves, connect with their culture and shape a bold new future,” she says.
The competition also reflects the brand’s wider focus on South African identity, with this year’s brief asking designers to interpret ideas of heritage, community and contemporary culture through fashion.
Last year’s winner is coming back
Adding a little proof that the competition can lead somewhere, Best Ncube, who won the 2025 Designer Search, is returning this year as one of the competition’s lead ambassadors.
For aspiring designers, it means there is someone involved who has already been through the process and knows what it can lead to.
Ready to fill bold?
Entries are open to South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 and close on 17 September 2026.
The full competition guidelines, templates and terms and conditions are available through Iwisa No.1’s competition platform, with entries also being promoted across the brand’s social media channels.
For a brand that has spent 70 years becoming part of South African homes, this time Iwisa No.1 is asking young creatives to help decide what its future looks like.
