Iwisa No.1 Marks 70 Years With Designer Search for South African Creatives
Iwisa No.1 Marks 70 Years With Designer Search for South African Creatives. Iwisa No.1 is marking its 70th anniversary by inviting young South African designers to help shape the maize brand’s next chapter through the 2026 Fills Bold Designer Search.
The competition is open to South African creatives aged between 18 and 35 and challenges participants to develop a sports-streetwear collection inspired by Iwisa No.1’s heritage, South African culture and contemporary youth style.
The winning designer will have the opportunity to create the official Iwisa No.1 Promoter Uniform. The collection brief includes a collared jersey, straight-leg jogger, bucket hat, tote bag and socks.
According to Iwisa No.1, the competition is looking for designs that combine the brand’s heritage and community roots with a contemporary sports-inspired aesthetic.
The winner will receive a MacBook Pro valued at up to R35,000, R10,000 in cash and the opportunity to design the official 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. The third-place winner will receive noise-cancelling earphones and R5,000 in cash.
Iwisa No.1 was launched in 1956, and the designer search forms part of the brand’s 70th anniversary activities.
Phumzile Nhlapo, premier senior brand manager of consumer staples, said the competition is intended to empower young creatives to express themselves, connect with their culture and contribute to the brand’s future.
The 2025 Designer Search winner, Best Ncube, is returning as one of this year’s lead ambassadors.
Entries are open to South Africans aged 18 to 35 and close on 17 September 2026.
Competition guidelines, templates and terms and conditions are available through Iwisa No.1’s competition platform, with the competition also being promoted through the brand’s social media channels.
The initiative combines the brand’s anniversary celebrations with an opportunity for emerging designers to develop their creative work and potentially see their design used as part of Iwisa No.1’s official promoter uniform.
