Australian fashion brand DISSH has just opened applications for its third annual Pride Scholarship, expanding the program’s scope beyond fashion students.
A $15,000 contribution will be awarded towards the tuition of one LGBTQIA+ student tackling a career in the creative industries.
The scholarship has been expanded beyond fashion, now including other creative disciplines such as interior design, photography, visual arts and film.
The program is launched during Pride Month of June, which is globally recognised as a month for supporting LGBTQIA+ people, originating from the Stonewall Riots in the United States in 1969.
“At Dissh, we celebrate diversity in all facets and acknowledge the continued work and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community in making this industry what it is today,” CEO Lucy Henry-Hicks said.
“Our mission is to ensure the industry we know, and love continues to diversify at the hands of those who bring new perspectives, new sources of inspiration, and new voices to creativity.”
The scholarship program was launched in 2023, commencing as a $10,000 initiative. The 2025 recipient will also receive personalised mentorship from the Dissh team, extending the impact of the scholarship well beyond Pride Month.
Last year’s winner, Nathalie Coronado Quispe (they/them), a fashion design student at QUT, spoke of the experience as one that “validated [their] existence as a queer person in fashion” and gave them a sense of belonging in the industry they love.
Applications are open now until June 16, with the 2025 recipient to be announced in early July. Submissions can be made via the Dissh website.