Top image: Mollina chair from Driade

In the coming weeks, furniture designers in China will certainly be burning candles at both ends for hewing the most mind-blowing dining chair that may bring them victory at the Design to Fame contest co-organised by Italian furniture design house Driade, and Domus Aurea, a Shanghai-based multi-brand furniture showroom.

Driade is well known for its associations with top-notch designers such as Ron Arad, Philippe Starck and David Chipperfield, the company’s current artistic director. The announcement that it is now turning to Chinese aspirers for new ideas of ‘a modern style dining chair’ has come as an exciting surprise. According to the organiser, the contest aims to tap into China’s top designers and put them under the global spotlight.

The contest is held in partnership with furniture distributor Domus Aurea Shanghai, which brings in over 40 top furniture brands from Europe. “Domus Aurea is keen to support Chinese designers,” says George Cheong, Founder and CEO of Domus Aurea (DA). “We hope to build a bridge between East and West through this competition, and to present more outstanding Chinese designers internationally.” To foster the talents, the DA flagship showroom will open its door to participants as a hall of inspiration.

As the best part of the contest – way beyond the cash prize of RMB$20,000 – the winner will see his or her work produced by Driade and exhibited alongside design bigwigs like Philippe Starck at Salone del Mobile 2016. The winning chair will also become part of the Domus Aurea Shanghai Collection.

From now through 10 September 201t5, participants can submit their work online at d.domusaurea.com.cn. The winning work will be picked by Driade’s jury, which includes Honorary President Enrico Astori; CEO Stefano Core; and Marketing Director Elisa Astori. The results will be announced at Design Show Shanghai in September 2015.