METU Student Wins Special Award at the Runhua Award 2025 International Fashion Competition in China

A student from Budapest Metropolitan University (METU) has achieved outstanding international success: Bianka Bérces received the “Best International Contestant Award” at the prestigious Runhua Award 2025 International Fashion Design & Skills Contest, organized by the Jiangxi Institute of Fashion Technology in China. The competition aims to promote fashion design education, showcase new trends, and launch young designers onto the global stage.

Bianka competed with her MA collection titled “Kickstitch – From Waste to Stage”, created under the mentorship of Dr. Adél Kovács, DLA, Associate Professor at METU’s Department of Fashion and Textile Design. The collection features performance garments made from recycled shoe uppers, exploring themes of sustainability, intuition, and authentic creative expression. As Bianka explained:

“The exciting forms of shoes inspired me to experiment and reimagine these materials in a new context. I began developing this technique during the pandemic, when I felt a strong desire to give worn-out shoes a second life.”

This year’s Runhua Award attracted participants from over 90 institutions across 14 countries, focusing on the theme of “Integration”—capturing the meeting of East and West, past and future, through the lens of design and art. Bianka’s recognition reflects the strength of METU’s creative and practice-oriented educational model, which empowers students to succeed internationally through freedom of expression, sustainable thinking, and design-driven innovation.

“I believe that a garment can be spectacular and bold without compromising on responsible fashion. For me, this award proves that persistence and staying true to one’s creative path always bring results—even when not everyone sees your potential at first,” said Bianka Bérces.

METU is proud to support talented students who achieve recognition on the international stage. This accomplishment serves as an inspiration for current and future students alike, reinforcing the university’s commitment to creative industries, global collaboration, and sustainable design.