William Palmer

The Breadwinner

I:C 10x10x10 Award 2026
I:C OTB Award 2026
I:C PITTI IMMAGINE AWARD 2026

William Palmer playfully critiques British masculinity using humour and satire to subvert rigid, hyper-masculine ideals. Inspired by personal experiences, he reflects on the pressures of financial success and societal expectations on the “breadwinner”, the family member earning the most money. A duffle bag shaped like a loaf of bread humorously embodies this theme, while bite mark motifs represent imperfection in a perfection-driven world. Childhood prank rituals like the “wedgie” - when someone’s underwear gets pulled up tightly between the buttocks - are reimagined through underwear-hoodie hybrids, blending playfulness with adult masculinity. Channeling the cheeky energy of lad culture, the collection questions toxic traits while proposing a more open, vulnerable, and expressive vision of masculinity.

I:C 10x10x10 Award 2026

All winners will receive:

a 10 days creative Residency
10 months feature in the “RISE AND SHINE” Exhibition at ITS Arcademy – Museum of Art in Fashion
€10,000

I:C OTB Award 2026

The OTB Group will offer a day of training visits to OTB’s headquarters, where young designers will be able to see first-hand the stages involved in creating the Group’s brands’ garments and accessories, as well as a mentoring and coaching session on best practices in sustainability with OTB Group experts.

Motivation

We had the pleasure of welcoming the young ITS designers to the headquarters of OTB Group and Diesel. We shared with them our commitment to sustainability, and it was inspiring to see how much curiosity they showed towards these topics. At the same time, engaging with young designers from all over the world brought energy, freshness, and diverse perspectives, continuously enriching and nurturing our company’s DNA. Moments like these represent a true exchange: on one hand, the opportunity to share what we do every day in our work; on the other, the chance to offer insights, suggestions, and a concrete vision of what it means to build one’s own path in the fashion industry. During the visit, the designers had direct contact with the Diesel denim world, visiting the brand’s headquarters, its creative spaces, and the historical archive, which holds over 80,000 research and collection pieces from 1978 to today. Sharing our passion and the story of this brand with curious and passionate young talents is always an opportunity for mutual inspiration.

I:C PITTI IMMAGINE AWARD 2026

An exclusive invitation to attend Pitti Uomo, offering the winning designer a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the most influential international fashion events. During the event, the winner will be guided by a dedicated member of the Pitti team, gaining firsthand insight into the dynamics of the fair, meeting key industry professionals across all sectors—including exhibitors, buyers, and press—and attending selected fashion shows. The experience will be further amplified through dedicated communication, including official mentions in Pitti’s press releases.

Motivation

For his kind gaze on menswear, that is absolutely necessary today. William has mastery of the craft, he understands shapes and materials and he's ready to “bite into the market" with irony, bright lightness and a sharp sense of timing.

Project selection motivation

William has that rare gift of being able to treat sociopolitical topics with grand irony and apparent lightness, an ability that popularises what is complicated in appearance through lightness and clarity of vision. But to have such a rare intellectual ability is one thing, to translate that into perfectly executed garments which speak for themselves the same ironic language, creating coherent looks, is another. Williams’ garments are a feast for the eyes because they powerfully express British masculinity from its most playful yet patriarchal outpost. One of the reasons - the other being beauty - for being selected.