Next Designer Award empowered by Visa
Results of the fifth season of the young designers’ competition
For the fifth year in a row, the Next Designer Award has become a launchpad for designers from Kazakhstan and across Central Asia. This is a milestone event for young creatives who are just beginning their journey and preparing to claim their place in the fashion world.
“Our mission is to support the creative industry and shape a new generation of designers who will proudly represent Central Asia on the global fashion stage,” says Bauyrzhan Shadibekov, CEO of Visa Fashion Week Almaty and Visa Fashion Week Tashkent.
This fifth season marked a turning point, as the competition expanded to a regional Central Asian scale for the very first time. It is now not only a story of Kazakhstan but of the entire region. Symbolically, third place was awarded to Nigina Negmatova from Uzbekistan. Ahead lies a collaboration with Kazakh designer Saken Zhaxybayev – a meeting of two cultures and two perspectives on fashion.
The winner of the competition was Tomiris Talgat, with her collection “Bailau”, in which she portrayed a woman’s journey through society and the stages of building her own identity within a patriarchal environment. Her work was recognized with a Visa grant of 10,000 USD and the opportunity to present a new collection at Visa Fashion Week Almaty SS2026.
Second place went to Aizada Balabekova, whose collection intertwined history and modernity, expressing the female image through strength and courage. Her inspiration lay in revealing new dimensions within tradition and helping women stop fearing their own authenticity. As her prize, she will showcase her work at Visa Fashion Week Tashkent SS2026.
Third-place winner Nigina Negmatova explored conscious consumption through irony, deconstruction, and cultural codes. Her message: awareness does not mean giving up everything, but transforming; not the end of consumption, but the search for meaning. A theme both relevant and essential in our time.
The participants’ works were evaluated according to several criteria: originality of concept, innovation and relevance, construction of garments, choice of materials and forms, color solutions, and the overall coherence of the collection.
The final event took place on August 11 at the historically significant Almaty Theatre, where the winners were honored in a festive awards ceremony.
It is precisely such initiatives that allow new voices to be heard, show how fashion becomes a language of important social issues, and inspire emerging talents to find their own voice.
Photos provided by the PR service Next Designer Award.
