CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 WINNER!

The 2026 Runway to Race Day Emerging Fashion Designer Competition has officially concluded, and we’re delighted to congratulate Emily, whose winning design came to life on the runway at the Rydges Palmerston Ladies Day Luncheon during the Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival.

Celebrating Emerging Talent

Runway to Race Day was created to inspire and support the next generation of fashion designers by providing a unique opportunity to design for one of the Territory’s most celebrated events.

Throughout the competition, Emily worked alongside Marcia Russell, receiving valuable one-on-one mentoring and insight into the design process, from concept through to the finished garment.

The result was a stunning racewear creation that perfectly captured the colour, creativity and confidence of the Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival.

Thank You

A sincere thank you to everyone who entered this year’s competition and shared their creativity with us. The standard of entries was exceptional, making the judging process incredibly difficult.

We also extend our thanks to Marcia Russell for generously mentoring our winning designer, and to our 2026 Darwin Cup Carnival Ambassador, Paige, for bringing the winning design to life on Ladies Day.

See You in 2027

Think you’ve got what it takes to create the next winning racewear design?

Entries for the 2027 Runway to Race Day Emerging Fashion Designer Competition will open next year. Follow the Darwin Turf Club on social media or visit this page for updates.