The Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield Announces Second Cohort

The Mayor of London, Projekt and Paul Smith’s Foundation are proud to announce the six UK designers selected to become the second cohort of The Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield 2026/27.

The fashion designers will receive free studio space, as well as mentoring from industry leaders and business planning training, in the centre of London, after being chosen by a panel of industry leaders. The selected designers were chosen by their idiosyncratic perspective, design atheistic, focused vision and intent for the programme. All the recipients are from an international background and based themselves in London to build their brands, proving that London is truly a catalyst for international talent. The second cohort will begin January 2026 and run for 18 months. The recipients are;

Harri | Joyce Bao | Renata Brenha

Petra Fagerstrom | Masha Popova | Eden Tan

Over 100 applications were received, and the six designers were selected on Monday 6th October following four shortlisting rounds including interviews with a panel of industry leaders. The final jurors were Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries; Sir Paul Smith, designer and founder of Paul Smith’s Foundation, Adam Baidawi, Head of Editorial Content at British GQ and Nick Harwright CEO of Projekt.

Established in 2024, The Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield was created by The Mayor of London, Projekt and Paul Smith’s Foundation enabled with support from the City of London Corporation. The Mayor of London and Projekt’s investment covered the rent and fit out of the spaces.

Successes from the inaugural cohort included designers building their own ecommerce, securing stockists, employing staff, having templates for loan, IP & trademark agreements, to name a few. Building on the first cohort’s success, the programme will provide opportunities for London’s next top fashion designers to grow their businesses and learn from industry experts. Paul Smith’s Foundation has designed the mentoring programme, matching designers with industry leading professionals to help them establish their businesses and create a sustainable footing once they leave.

The residency brings fashion to the heart of the Square Mile, at Studio Smithfield by Projekt a 27,000 sqft creative hub, event space and workspace in London’s iconic Smithfield market. The residency is part of the Mayor of London’s commitment to help the capital’s creative industries, to offer robust support to the fashion ecosystem in London and to further support our exceptional talent on the global stage.