The unusual slant on the new program shifts its focus to close-up photography, challenging new designers and highlighting the brand’s flagship Find X3 Pro smartphone macro capabilities.

The new competition, entitled ‘Lens of Inspiration’, has been designed to reveal the next generation of design and fashion talent in the UK. Working in partnership with the New Designers platform, 10 designers will be chosen to embark on a journey of revelation with the photo-friendly and quite brilliant Find X3 Pro smartphone, which landed an impressive and quite rare 5/5 in our recent review.

The 10 selected designers, both students and graduates, will be invited to produce a striking print using sustainable materials and motivated by imagery shot with the OPPO Find X3 Pro’s microlens.

The shots will then be converted into a print or pattern, which will allow the candidates to showcase their vision for the next ‘iconic’ pattern. With design standards, such as Houndstooth and Plaid, there’s a lot to live up to. Then, using their chosen patterns, the designers will also have to design an item of clothing that showcases their work. All of which will be revealed next month, [November 2021].

Kevin Cho, Managing Director of OPPO UK, said: “The intersection of technology and fashion is an exciting space to watch. The Find X3 Pro’s microlens opens up a world of creative possibilities, and we’re excited to see the new compelling prints the designers create, as they make their mark on the incredible British fashion and design industries. OPPO is looking forward to working with the UK’s next generation of fashion and design talent and seeing their creativity brought to life with the OPPO Find X3 Pro.”

The OPPO Find X3 Pro microlens has been developed to capture objects and details that can’t be seen by the naked eye, magnifying them up to 60 times. Whilst we could see this as a macro photographer’s dream, it’s also a feature that might be largely glossed over as something of a novelty by the everyday smartphone user. This competition shines a light on the possibilities that can be made using the new tech and the brilliant imaging cluster on the device.

Sarah Monk, New Designers’ Portfolio Director, added: “Today’s design students and graduates have grown up with technology, and the competition is the perfect opportunity to bring the worlds of fashion and technology together. The competition, in partnership with OPPO, provides an exciting outlet for designers to unleash their creativity through print and colour, and we cannot wait to see their unique visions for the next iconic fashion print.”

Students and graduate designers within the New Designers network are invited to enter the competition, and a handpicked shortlist of 10 finalists will be announced at the end of September.

Each of the 10 finalists, selected from within the New Designers network, will be given OPPO’s Find X3 Pro flagship smartphone to use for their journey.

All finalists will be offered a session with a design mentor, to support their print development and advise on their suggested design. The 10 student and graduate designers will participate in a photo shoot at the end of the competition to showcase their creations, with the winner being announced at the end of November 2021. The winner will receive an OPPO 46mm Smart Watch along with a pair of OPPO Enco X headphones.

Keep an eye out here as we follow the progress of the competition.