The "Emerald Button" (Szmaragdowy Guzik) competition is organized by the Technical School Complex-Vocational and Continuing Education Center in Leszno in cooperation with the Municipal Theater in Leszno. Its goal is to promote the young generation of designers who have a bright future ahead of them in the fashion industry.
Participants have the opportunity to present their skills, creativity, and courage in implementing their own projects to a wider audience. For many, this is the first such important moment of confronting passion with the professional world of fashion. The idea behind this unique event is to create a friendly space for meetings and exchange of experiences between schools, students, and industry representatives.
This is the 7th edition of the "Emerald Button" competition
Year by year, the competition is becoming more popular. In 2025, its 7th edition took place! This time, the theme was incredibly intriguing: "SYMBIOSIS OR EXTINCTION? The Future of Humanity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence".
The participants faced a significant challenge. They had to create a costume showing a vision of the human future in a world dominated by AI. The projects were to tell a story about coexistence, the transformation of humanity, or destruction.
Directions for competition interpretation:
- Utopia – human harmony with technology (inspirations: The Jetsons, "Chappie", "Wall-E").
- Dystopia – destruction or chaos after the fall (inspirations: Mad Max, Matrix).
- Transhumanism – human-machine, cybernetic enhancements.
- Ecological Apocalypse – the consequences of technological obsession.
- Aesthetic Contrasts – minimalism versus cyberpunk splendor.
The finale of the event took place on November 13, 2025, at the Municipal Theater in Leszno, gathering an audience fascinated by the creativity of young creators.
LOU as a prize sponsor – professional sewing machine
We are proud to have been able to support the winners by sponsoring a material prize – a professional Overlock sewing machine. This device allows for fast, precise, and professional finishing of fabric edges.
Why did we choose this model? An overlock is essential when working with:
- elastic materials and knits,
- very thin and delicate fabrics,
- thick layers of textiles requiring solid stitching.
In the world of fashion, professional craftsmanship is the foundation. Without it, the concept of a "professionally designed garment" simply does not exist.
Tailoring is a type of art that defines the project. We want young designers to have access to tools from the very beginning that will allow them to create collections that can achieve spectacular success.
We support the development of creativity in Leszno and the region
By awarding the prize, we want to inspire young people to bravely follow their passion. At LOU, we started as a small, family business, and today – just a decade later – we have a modern Showroom and dress women all over the world.
Our roots are in Leszno, and this is where we want to contribute to the success of ambitious people. We believe that often "small support" at the start brings huge results in the future.