Every year the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture, the City of Vienna and Unit F büro für mode together with the Austrian daily newspaper "Die Presse" grant three fashion awards to designers. An international jury designates the winners who are awarded a one-year work stipend for an internship with an international designer (Fashion Award of the Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture). Another prize enables the winners to participate in an international fair, e.g. in Paris, London or New York (Fashion Award of the City of Vienna). Or the winners get a contract for one year with an international PR agency (Unit F Award for international PR and Marketing). In addition to the above mentioned awards in cash, the winners’ collections will be presented to the public and the press in the course of an event. These prizes are only awarded to designers who already have a complete collection (not including accessories, jewellery, etc.)

With a total of EUR 45,000.00 in prize money, these awards are the most important in the field of design and the highest amount allocated for this purpose in Austria.
From 2002 privately funded prizes are also awarded. Thanks to Dr. Helga Rabl-Stadler’s intensive efforts, from 2002 to 2003 the RESMANN Female Style Award for an outstanding career in the Austrian fashion industry could be established for women designers.

In 2007, for the second time, the so fresh. the jewellery award by Pierre Lang will be awarded to an outstanding jewellery designer. This prize, a cooperation with the company Pierre Lang, establishes a separate fund for promoting jewellery design.

In order to promote areas closely associated with fashion design, since 2006 the Römerquelle Editorial Award is being granted for an unpublished fashion editorial by a photographer.

This prize is awarded for young, trend-setting fashion design. The creative potential of the nominee has to be remarkable – this work stipend is to enable a promising talent to gather experiences in working with an internationally successful designer. This award provides a work stipend of EUR 1,100.00 per month for Europe (and EUR 1,500.00 per month outside Europe – i.e. EUR 14,200.00 to 18,000.00 per year). In addition, the winner will have a show at the festival for fashion & photography.

An international jury chooses the winner based on innovative fashion design, with focus on design and artistic work. Creative potential and infrastructure (production and marketing facilities) are prerequisites, so that the participation in an international fashion festival or fashion fair can be considered promising. This prize is awarded as a package (a total of EUR 10,000.00 in prize money incl. the participation in a fashion festival / fair for emerging designers). In addition, the winner will have a show at the festival for fashion & photography.

This award is granted for outstanding fashion design on an international level. An individual style of the design and a clear strategy regarding the brand are essential prerequisites for winning this prize. The award includes contacts to an international press agency, and agency fees for at least one year (a total of EUR 15,000.00 in prize money). In addition, the winner will have a show at the festival for fashion & photography.