The Fashion Residency
The Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield is a pioneering business development programme for early career fashion designers, delivered in partnership by the Mayor of London, Projekt and Paul Smith’s Foundation and supported by British GQ.
The programme includes a free studio space for six designers in the heart of the City of London and an accelerator programme of bespoke business mentoring from industry experts on topics including common legal issues, finance, manufacturing, communications and more. Created and delivered by Paul Smith’s Foundation, the business accelerator is an intentional programme where the mentors create targets and objectives for the designers to fulfil between sessions. Each resident designer also has access to 10 hours of pro bono support from Osborne Clarke LLP, use of 2,500 sqft event space, dye room and reading room and bespoke support on event management, freelancer introductions, partnership and consultancy work and project management. Each designer is also paired with a ‘Personal Mentor’ who acts as a confidant, guide and sounding board throughout the residency period.
The programme is designed for designers who are at the early stages of their career, have delivered 2-3 seasons and are at a pivotal moment of growth.
The designers in Cohort One are: Paolo Carzana, Pauline Dujancourt, Laura Pitharas, Paolina Russo, Karoline Vitto and YAKU.
Together with our partners for the Fashion Residency – the Mayor of London and Projekt – we have agreed to extend Cohort One’s term by six months, to December 2025. We have seen first-hand the astonishing impact that the studio space, peer-to-peer community, business teaching and personal support from the exceptional networks of mentors have had on their businesses and we are thrilled to be able to offer this extension.
Applications for Cohort Two will open in early June 2025.
Personal Mentors on The Fashion Residency include Adam Andrascik, Charlie Casely-Hayford, Henry Holland, Phoebe Briggs, Mandi Lennard, and Olya Kuryshchuk.
Business skills workshop leaders include Alice Bouleau, Sterling International; Catherine Sutton, Sutton Communications; Helen McGowan, Jason Leung & Vince To at The Alphabet Showroom; Laura Holmes, Founder of Holmes Productions; Laura Weir, incoming BFC CEO; Matthew Mumford, Head of Creative at Paul Smith; Murray Clark, Senior Style Editor at British GQ; Neha-Tamara Patel, Director of Audience Development, Analytics & Social at British GQ; Orsola de Castro and Tamsin Blanchard, Estethica, Osborne Clarke LLP, Patrick Atkinson, Head of Buying & Merchandising at Paul Smith; Philipp Raheem, Photographer and Editorial Director of Vingt Sept Magazine; Vikram Menon, Financial Advisor and Founder Fashionex.
The programme includes a free studio space for six designers in the heart of the City of London and an accelerator programme of bespoke business mentoring from industry experts on topics including common legal issues, finance, manufacturing, communications and more. Created and delivered by Paul Smith’s Foundation, the business accelerator is an intentional programme where the mentors create targets and objectives for the designers to fulfil between sessions. Each resident designer also has access to 10 hours of pro bono support from Osborne Clarke LLP, use of 2,500 sqft event space, dye room and reading room and bespoke support on event management, freelancer introductions, partnership and consultancy work and project management. Each designer is also paired with a ‘Personal Mentor’ who acts as a confidant, guide and sounding board throughout the residency period.
The programme is designed for designers who are at the early stages of their career, have delivered 2-3 seasons and are at a pivotal moment of growth.
The designers in Cohort One are: Paolo Carzana, Pauline Dujancourt, Laura Pitharas, Paolina Russo, Karoline Vitto and YAKU.
Together with our partners for the Fashion Residency – the Mayor of London and Projekt – we have agreed to extend Cohort One’s term by six months, to December 2025. We have seen first-hand the astonishing impact that the studio space, peer-to-peer community, business teaching and personal support from the exceptional networks of mentors have had on their businesses and we are thrilled to be able to offer this extension.
Applications for Cohort Two will open in early June 2025.
Personal Mentors on The Fashion Residency include Adam Andrascik, Charlie Casely-Hayford, Henry Holland, Phoebe Briggs, Mandi Lennard, and Olya Kuryshchuk.
Business skills workshop leaders include Alice Bouleau, Sterling International; Catherine Sutton, Sutton Communications; Helen McGowan, Jason Leung & Vince To at The Alphabet Showroom; Laura Holmes, Founder of Holmes Productions; Laura Weir, incoming BFC CEO; Matthew Mumford, Head of Creative at Paul Smith; Murray Clark, Senior Style Editor at British GQ; Neha-Tamara Patel, Director of Audience Development, Analytics & Social at British GQ; Orsola de Castro and Tamsin Blanchard, Estethica, Osborne Clarke LLP, Patrick Atkinson, Head of Buying & Merchandising at Paul Smith; Philipp Raheem, Photographer and Editorial Director of Vingt Sept Magazine; Vikram Menon, Financial Advisor and Founder Fashionex.