Coca-Cola has been a muse for a range of other brands and used as a canvas for creative imaginary by celebrated artists and fashion icons. The legendary drink and its red and white style has become the theme of the eighth edition of the Uniqlo’s UT Grand Prix T-shirt design contest. Designs inspired by Coca-Cola are accepted starting August 4 through September 12—the submissions from all around the globe will be judged by a panel of experts in the design industry and be unveiled for online voting. The winners will receive money prizes and get their designs implemented on tees, which will arrive at Uniqlo’s venues worldwide in spring 2012.

“Whether it be Coke’s iconic commercials or the classic Coca-Cola contour bottle itself, Coca-Cola shares Uniqlo’s unrivalled commitment to being on the zeitgeist of good design. The UT Grand Prix program is a chance for two design-forward brands to come together to inspire the next generation of both graphic and fashion designers,” commented Kate Dwyer, Group Director of Worldwide Licensing Division, The Coca-Cola Company.

There will be ten winners in this round of the competition: the Grand Prize Winner will be selected by judges and receive $10,000 (€6,600), five designers awarded with judges’ prize will get $3,000 (€2,000 EUR), one entrant who will get $5,000 (€3,300) and three runners-up to be given $1,000 (€600). In addition to this, the winners will receive copies of ‘Coca-Cola’ by Assouline published to celebrate the brand’s 125th anniversary—the grand prix winner will be handed the special collector’s edition book priced $650.00 and others will get standard version of the book. According to the press release, they will also get “one-off set of Coca-Cola bottles emblazoning their artwork.” The names of most talented entrants will be announced next spring. To learn more about the rules of the competition, the guidelines, deadlines and jury panel, go to the page of the contest.

Uniqlo is definitely getting ready for the U.S. expansion now—the Japanese retailer is going to open two new flagship stores in New York this fall and even launched a micro site dedicated to the upcoming event (there’s also some information about the brand’s pop-up stores, which will appear across the city this month).