Opportunity brief
Overview
Louis Stitch — a footwear brand built for working professionals, with a growing presence across the USA, Europe, Singapore, UAE, India, and Sri Lanka — invites students to reimagine everyday footwear through the Next-Gen Footwear Challenge: A Design Challenge + Case Competition.
Participants will design a collection of 1 sneaker and 1 athleisure shoe for the ambitious 22–35-year-old urban professional, blending timeless Italian refinement with modern street utility. This isn't just a design brief — it's a complete case. Participants must define the inspiration, the ideation and story, and a full go-to-market strategy, then bring it all together with strategic Louis Stitch brand integration.
Design brief: Create an elevated everyday sneaker or athleisure shoe that moves seamlessly with the consumer — from work to weekend, commute to coffee, travel to social life — capturing a brand identity that is Premium, Contemporary, Versatile, Comfortable, Understated, and Confident.
"A shoe for the journey — not just the destination."
Eligibility
- Open to: All students, all colleges.
- Participation: Individual only (team size = 1). Inter-college and inter-specialization team questions do not apply, since entries are individual.
- Each participant may submit only one entry.
- All submitted work must be original and created specifically for this challenge.
Format
A two-round Design Challenge + Case Competition:
Round 1 — Online Submission
- Participants submit one complete entry — a single PPT deck — via Unstop.
- The deck must present the full case: inspiration and ideation, the complete go-to-market strategy, and all design deliverables (3D renders, mood board, collection story, logo integration).
Round 2 — Offline Presentation
- Shortlisted finalists from Round 1 present their work in person before the judging panel — walking judges through their mood board, design, and the story and strategy behind it.
- Venue, date, and time format to be shared with shortlisted finalists.
Number of Problem Statements
One core design brief (above), applied across a 2-piece collection (1 sneaker + 1 athleisure shoe).
Duration of Rounds
- Round 1: Submission window as listed on the Unstop deadline for this opportunity.
- Round 2: Duration/format to be communicated to shortlisted finalists.
What to Submit (Round 1 — all within one PPT)
- 3D Footwear Design — high-res renders from 4 angles (lateral, medial, top-down, outsole/tread) with material callouts.
- Inspiration Mood Board & Color Story
- The Collection Story — a title plus a ≤250-word pitch on the emotional anchor and design philosophy.
- Go-to-Market Strategy — channels, campaigns, and promotional plan.
- Logo Integration (Compulsory) — the Louis Stitch crest/wordmark must be visibly integrated into the design. Official brand assets are provided and may be used.
Evaluation Criteria (100 points)
- 3D Aesthetics & Silhouette Innovation — 40
- Concept Narrative & Selling Power (GTM Strategy) — 40
- Brand Alignment & Logo Integration — 20
Prizes
- 1st Place: ₹15,000 | 2nd Place: ₹10,000 | 3rd Place: ₹5,000
- Top 10 Finalists: exciting Louis Stitch prizes, an internship opportunity, and a shot at a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO).
Rules
- All design work, renders, and written content must be original; use of unlicensed stock assets, plagiarism, or previously published designs results in disqualification.
- AI tools are permitted for generating 3D renders; written content (story, GTM strategy) must reflect the participant's own thinking.
- Including the Louis Stitch logo is compulsory — entries without it may be penalized or disqualified.
- Any submission not addressing all five Core Submission Requirements may incur a points penalty.
- Late submissions will not be accepted.
- Participants retain ownership of their concepts, but by submitting, grant organizers and Louis Stitch rights to showcase and promote the work for competition purposes.
- Participants are responsible for ensuring no third-party IP infringement (other than the provided Louis Stitch identity).
- Contacting judges directly, publicly sharing submissions before results, or attempting to influence judging may lead to disqualification.
- The organizing committee's decisions on evaluation, shortlisting, and disqualification are final and binding; the committee reserves the right to amend rules, deadlines, or criteria, with changes communicated to all registered participants.
Join the Whatsapp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/F1XasIGOkGVKEbZr0lpur2
Rulebook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tYZyN_zSkj5ciut-Fxq9sXo548a3wIz_Iu0MltpmVM8/edit?usp=sharing