London-based luxury etailer Net-A-Porter is continuing its Vanguard Education Fund mentorship program for its second year, with TAFE Australia joining a select line-up of international institutions.
The Vanguard Education Fund was launched in a partnership between Net-A-Porter and the British Fashion Council (BFC). It is open to final-year students studying at UK universities within the BFC Colleges Council and selected international institutions (TAFE Australia, Parsons School of Design in New York and ESMOD fashion school in France). It covers multidisciplinary courses including fashion and design, ceramics, fine art, photography, and jewellery.
The mentors taking part in the fund include founder and creative director of fashion house Ahluwalia, Priya Ahluwalia, co-founder and creative director of Toteme Elin Kling, and Coperni Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant.
Other mentors include Up Next Designer founder Albert Ayal, fashion consultant and entrepreneur Yoyo Cao, fashion editor and consultant Camille Charrière, Net-A-Porter content director Alice Casely-Hayford, and senior market editor Libby Page.
Applications have now closed, and four winners are to be selected and awarded a £12,500 bursary each in May this year. They will then be paired with two of the fund’s mentors for the academic year.
In addition, Net-A-Porter has invested in the specialised training and access to 3D fashion design software CLO, covering all associated costs for the students for one year. Net-A-Porter said this will equip the winners with skills to design for the metaverse.
“With challenges lying ahead for the next generation of emerging designers, the Vanguard Education Fund provides much needed mentorship and financial support to students who may not otherwise have been able to go on to practise design,” Page said. “With young shoppers increasingly seeking new and diverse brands, there remains lots of opportunity and nascent talent should feel encouraged and optimistic about the future.”
BFC CEO Caroline Rush said its partnership with the luxury etailer comes at a pivotal moment, with rising global inflation levels, a possible recessions and growing costs of living impacting the creative industries.
“Now, more than ever, it is important that we continue to strengthen and protect the pipeline of talent to the industry, future-proofing emerging design talent who are leading the way in creativity, innovation, and positive business,” Rush said.
Ahluwalia echoed Rush’s statement on the current macroeconomic challenges.
“It can be difficult for young talent to start a business due to economic pressures,” Ahluwalia said. “The good thing is that there are so many opportunities to create collectives and collaborations – and thanks to the internet, young designers have the power to market themselves in ways that weren’t possible 10 years ago.”
“Emerging designers who can offer fresh concepts is exactly what the fashion industry needs to bring about a renewed sense of excitement and allow us to look at the familiar in unexpected ways.”