International Design Competition Winner!
Vietnamese Talent Shines on the Global Stage:
RMIT’s Veronica Duong Ho Van Wins the 2025 SDC International Design Competition
In a remarkable triumph for Vietnamese creativity, Veronica Duong Ho Van, a student from RMIT Vietnam, has been named the global winner of the 2025 SDC International Design Competition. The final judging took place at Raffles College of Higher Education in Singapore, where Veronica’s work captivated the judges with its bold use of colour, conceptual depth, and technical finesse.
Her victory marks not just a personal milestone but also a shining moment for Vietnam’s emerging design scene, reaffirming the country’s growing presence in the global creative landscape.
Designing Through Adversity
Each year, the Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) invites fashion and textile design students from across the world to take on a powerful theme. For 2024–25, that theme was “Colour for Good – Creativity in Adversity.”
Entrants were asked to explore how colour could inspire hope, resilience, and positive change—while confronting real-world challenges such as sustainability, ethical production, and social awareness.
The competition is one of the most respected in the textile and fashion industry, offering young designers a global platform to express their ideas through both creative storytelling and responsible design thinking.
Winners from national heats advanced to the international final in Singapore, where Veronica competed alongside finalists from the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Bangladesh and India—each bringing their own interpretations of colour and adversity to the spotlight.
The Making of a Winner
Currently studying Fashion and Textile Design at RMIT Vietnam, Veronica represents a new generation of designers who merge cultural sensitivity with global vision.
Her winning entry impressed the judging panel with its inventive use of materials, thoughtful concept, and emotive colour narrative—qualities that captured the essence of creativity flourishing under constraint.
Facing fierce competition from international peers at Raffles College, Veronica’s project stood out for its balance of artistry and purpose. The judges praised not only her design aesthetic but also her ability to translate social themes into compelling visual language.
For RMIT Vietnam, her success reflects the university’s commitment to fostering innovation through a cross-cultural lens—combining design education with the dynamism of Vietnam’s creative industries.
Why Veronica’s Win Matters
A Launchpad for a Promising Career
For Veronica, this victory is more than a trophy—it’s an affirmation of her creative voice on the world stage. With global recognition now attached to her name, new doors are opening: mentorships, collaborations, exhibitions, and perhaps even future study opportunities abroad.
A Proud Moment for RMIT Vietnam
Her achievement underlines RMIT’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence for design education in Asia. It highlights the university’s ability to nurture students who think globally, create responsibly, and compete at an international level.
A Win for Vietnam’s Creative Industry
Veronica’s success also carries national significance. It showcases Vietnam’s emerging role as a hub for fashion innovation, where sustainability and storytelling meet craftsmanship and cultural depth. Her win serves as an inspiration to young Vietnamese designers, proving that local talent can rise to global recognition through creativity and commitment.
Looking Ahead
For Veronica, the journey is just beginning. She plans to continue refining her ideas and exploring the themes of sustainability, colour innovation, and resilience that defined her winning project.
In the coming years, she hopes to collaborate with mentors, textile innovators, and fashion manufacturers to transform her concepts into tangible collections—ones that blend artistry with impact. For now, she remains focused on completing her studies at RMIT Vietnam while preparing to step confidently into the next chapter of her design career.
A Stage Set in Singapore
The final held at Raffles College of Higher Education added an extra dimension to this achievement. Singapore’s role as a regional design hub provided the perfect backdrop for the competition—connecting Asia’s most promising creatives with global industry leaders and trends.
That Veronica emerged victorious in such an environment speaks volumes about her readiness to represent Vietnam—and RMIT—on the world stage.
A Colourful Future
Veronica Duong Ho Van’s win at the SDC International Design Competition 2025 is a story of creativity, resilience, and vision. It’s a celebration not only of her talent but of the new generation of designers redefining what it means to create for good.
From the classrooms of Ho Chi Minh City to the design studios of Singapore and beyond, Veronica’s success sends a powerful message: colour can indeed be a force for change—and Vietnamese designers are leading the way.
