Cape Town wants you to design the Mayor’s 2026 Festive Lights outfit

Think you have what it takes to design an outfit for the Mayor of Cape Town?

Capetonians are being invited to create the official festive-wear top the Mayor will wear during the city’s 2026 Festive Lights celebrations, with entries open to everyone from professional designers and students to artists, sewing enthusiasts, schools and community groups.

The Wear the Hope, Share the Light Design and Make Challenge is returning for a second year, this time under the theme Beacon of Hope.

But prospective designers will need to move quickly. Entries close on 2 October 2026.

Entrants do not need to make the actual garment yet. Only a design concept and written motivation are required for the first stage.

What should the Mayor’s Festive Lights outfit look like?

Designs must be inspired by the Beacon of Hope theme and reflect Cape Town’s spirit, resilience, creativity and optimism.

The proposed festive-wear top can be a jersey, pullover, shirt, jacket or another suitable garment.

Organisers are looking for something festive, creative, bold and wearable that captures hope, togetherness, celebration and community spirit.

Sustainable design is also encouraged, including ideas incorporating recycled or upcycled materials.

Who can enter?

You do not need to be a professional fashion designer.

The challenge is open to experienced designers, students, artists, sewing enthusiasts, schools, community organisations and anyone with a creative concept.

At this stage, entrants should not make the garment.

Only the eventual winner or winning team will be required to produce the final design.

How to enter the Cape Town Festive Lights challenge

Entrants need to submit a sketch, drawing or other visual representation of their proposed festive-wear top.

The design can be submitted as a PDF or clear photograph.

It must be accompanied by a written motivation of no more than 300 words explaining:

• The inspiration behind the concept.
• How it represents the Beacon of Hope theme.
• The story behind the design.
• How sustainable materials could be incorporated into the finished garment.

Entrants must also provide their full name, contact details and area of residence within Cape Town.

Those entering through a school, organisation or group should include its name.

Entries must be emailed to wearhope@capetownfestivelights.co.za with the subject line “Wear the Hope Challenge 2026”.

Key dates designers need to know

Entries close: 2 October 2026

Winning garment must be completed by: 6 November 2026

Winning design presented to the Mayor: 11 November 2026

Late entries will not be considered.

How the winner will be chosen

Eligible submissions will first be reviewed by an internal panel.

The top five designs will then be shortlisted and submitted to independent judges, who will select the winner.

Designs will be judged on creativity, originality, interpretation of the theme, sustainability, craftsmanship, visual impact, wearability and storytelling.

Judges will be looking for a garment capable of standing out under the lights of the Festive Lights celebrations while reflecting Cape Town’s hopeful and vibrant spirit.

Winner will create the Mayor’s outfit

Once selected, the winner or winning team will be responsible for producing the final garment.

They will receive one of the Mayor’s previous festive-wear tops to use for sizing. The garment remains City property and must be returned once the new outfit is completed.

Importantly, production costs for the winning garment will be the responsibility of the winner or winning team.

There is no cash prize.

Instead, the winning creation will become the official festive-wear garment worn by the Mayor during the 2026 Festive Lights celebrations and will be showcased through City and Festive Lights Switch-On communication platforms.

The winner will also get to nominate a Cape Town community project to receive R5 000 worth of arts supplies.

For enquiries, contact wearhope@capetownfestivelights.co.za.

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