Whether you’re living in New York, Milan, London, Los Angeles or Minneapolis, extraordinary style isn’t limited to high-fashion runways or design studios.

If you look around any office, college campus or city block, you’ll quickly realize that true fashionistas don’t wait around for the latest trends — they create them.

To celebrate the spirit of independent stylists and fashionistas everywhere, Fast Horse is helping Diet Coke launch the second season of its Young Designer Challenge. This year, Diet Coke is partnering with Rebecca Minkoff and Taylor Swift to give the opportunity of a lifetime to an aspiring fashion designer — having his or her original creation featured in all U.S. Target stores this fall.

The design challenge was first introduced last fall when Fast Horse helped Diet Coke launch the new, cropped logo design and a partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Last year, submissions were only accepted from students at select design schools. But this year has a fashionable twist — anyone in the U.S. with a creative and inspired idea can submit a T-shirt design.

A couple of Fast Horse ponies were in New York last week working with Rebecca Minkoff (at her amazing studio in Chelsea) to announce the design competition and call for entries through a series of interviews with regional and national media. Not only does the acclaimed fashion designer produce incredible pieces, she also got her big break from a T-shirt!

On set with Rebecca Minkoff at her gorgeous NYC studio.

In addition to launching the Young Designer Challenge, Minkoff will serve as a program judge and help select the winning Diet Coke T-shirt design, along with the top creative minds at Diet Coke and Target. The judges will select the top design from a pool of 10 finalists, which will be determined from an online public vote in June.

We’re so excited to help Diet Coke launch this program. It’s an incredible opportunity for up-and-coming designers and has the potential to give the winner the kind of clout needed to help launch a career. In addition to having his or her design available in all U.S. Target stores beginning Sept. 1, the grand-prize winner also will receive a $10,000 cash prize to pursue creative endeavors, plus a fly-away trip to meet Swift at one of her final U.S. RED Tour stops in Nashville, Tenn., this September.

To take advantage of this cool opportunity, you can submit a T-shirt design at DietCoke.com/DesignerChallenge before Friday, May 31. By visiting the site, budding designers also will find a look book, contest rules and more. And be sure to check out a video we helped create of Taylor Swift describing her personal style. Happy designing!