Calling all aspiring and early-career designers!
Paul Smith's Foundation & Pan Macmillan are delighted to be running a design competition judged by Sir Paul Smith himself. The winning designer will be commissioned to create a limited-edition proof (early reading copy) cover design of Sir Paul's memoir Threads: My Life in Style, for which they will receive a £500 commission fee. In addition, the winner will have the chance to meet Sir Paul and tour the Paul Smith HQ and meet the design team at the Pan Macmillan office in London.
We are asking entrants to submit selected works from their portfolios for review. We don’t expect you to create any new design work as part of your entry, but we would like to hear why you think you are the right designer for this commission (in no more than 200 words).
This competition is open to non-professional designers and professional designers with no more than five years of professional experience in a paid creative role at the date of submission. Entrants must be over 18 and resident in the UK. Full eligibility criteria, including how professional experience is calculated, are set out in the Terms and Conditions.
The prize: 1 winner
The winner will be commissioned by Pan Macmillan to create a limited-edition proof cover design for Threads and will receive a £500 commission fee for this work.
The winner will also receive:
- Tea and tour of Paul Smith HQ in Covent Garden, hosted by Sir Paul Smith
- Trip to Pan Macmillan offices to meet the design team and learn about cover-design processes in book publishing
- One copy of the limited-edition proof bearing the winner's cover design which will be signed by Sir Paul Smith.
Entry criteria
- Entries must be submitted to threadsdesigncompetition@macmillan.com
- To enter you must submit a single PDF containing:
- your full name;
- a written statement of no more than 200 words explaining why you are the right designer for this commission; and
- a portfolio of between 3 and 6 pieces of existing work, with each piece representing a distinct project. Portfolio pieces may be handmade or digitally produced.
- The PDF must not exceed 15 MB in total file size. Digital photographs or scans of physical artwork may be included in the PDF but physical originals should not be sent.
- Portfolio pieces created wholly or in part by generative AI technologies are not eligible and should not be submitted.
- There is no fee to enter the competition.
- By entering the Competition, you are accepting these Terms and Conditions.
Judges
Submissions will be shortlisted by a panel, including:
- Claire Bush - Communications Director, Marketing, Pan Macmillan
- Tiana-Jane Dunlop - Cover Designer, Pan Macmillan
- Sean Baker – Chief Brand Officer, Paul Smith and Trustee, Paul Smith’s Foundation
- Martha Mosse – Director, Paul Smith’s Foundation
- Alex Bec, Co-Founder It's Nice That.
The winning entry will be selected from a shortlist of 5 by Sir Paul Smith. The winner will be notified by email during the week commencing Monday 22 June 2026.
Selection criteria
Portfolios and written statements will be considered against the following criteria:
- Portfolio – quality of execution – the standard of finish and attention to detail across the submitted portfolio
- Portfolio – innovative spirit – the originality, creative voice and freshness of ideas demonstrated through the portfolio
- Written statement – how clearly and compellingly the designer has articulated why they are the right designer for this commission.
Important information for the winner
- The winner must be available from 1 July 2026 to 31 July 2026 to work on the proof cover design brief. The completed design must be delivered to Pan Macmillan by 31 July 2026
- The commission will be subject to Pan Macmillan's standard terms for freelancers which will be provided to the winner following confirmation of acceptance.
- A contribution towards the winner’s reasonable travel expenses of up to £100 per day will be provided; see Terms and Conditions for full details.
How to enter
Submit your entry to this email address by 23:59 on Sunday 7 June 2026: threadsdesigncompetition@macmillan.com
Please submit ONE PDF only with your full name, your 200 word statement and your work included.
Competition closes at 23:59 on Sunday 7 June 2026. Open to UK residents only. Entrants must be 18+. Open to non-professional designers and professionals with no more than five years' experience in a paid creative role. Terms and conditions apply.
Find out more about Threads: My Life in Style
"We are delighted to be working with Pan Macmillan to mark the publication of our founder’s memoir. This public competition that sits at the very heart of the Foundation’s endeavours - the establishment of commercial opportunities for creative people, twinned with business mentoring and industry introductions. We look forward to reviewing the applications, and seeing who is inspired to enter." - Martha Mosse, Director, Paul Smith’s Foundation