Created by Lisa Saltzman in 2023 for the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Textile Development and Marketing, the prize celebrated emerging textile designers. As a commitment to the future of Textile design, the prize paid tribute to Ralph Saltzman’s innovative approach to contemporary design practices, support new talent, and nurture the development of emerging vibrant designers.

Designers were judged on aesthetic, creativity, innovation, sustainable approaches and commercialization. The Judging Committee included Jennifer Olshin, Partner Friedman Benda, Shannon Maher, Jay and Patty Baker (School of Business and Technology) along with Lisa Saltzman.

Lisa Saltzman said:“I created this prize as a legacy to my father, Ralph Saltzman, the president and co-founder of Designtex. He was an innovator and a pioneer who had a keen eye, great taste and he thought outside the box. He commissioned architects, such as Richard Meier, to design textiles for him even though they had never done this prior. My father brought to America things that had never been seen before and he was one of the first people to bring sustainability into practice.”

DesignTex is the leading company in the development, design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment.

The winner was Rebecca Dillenberger with ‘Great Renovation’. Other finalists Jonathan Bowman, Marley Ashem Hibbert, Emily Hubbard, William Mayer.