The Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield is an innovative support programme for early career fashion designers. Six designers will receive a free 400 sq ft studio space for 12-months in Studio Smithfield, accompanied by an accelerator programme of bespoke business mentoring through group seminars and 1-2-1 mentoring from a team of industry experts, conceived specifically to build their skills in topics ranging from legal and finance, to production, merchandising and publicity.

Designers will leave the programme with a complete Business Plan and Portfolio, plus a pack of bespoke and usable template documents including an employment contract, cashflow, a partnership agreement, NDA, a communications and social media strategy. There will be dedicated succession planning, networking opportunities and support on the delivery of a showcase event in June 2025. Resident designers will have free access to the Studio Smithfield facilities of a media suite, events spaces, photography studio, meeting rooms and café.

The Fashion Residency is a business development programme, and therefore applicants should already have a clear creative vision, an understanding of their place within the market and who their customer is. Therefore, this opportunity is for those who have delivered 2-6 seasons. Designers must be ready to take the next step in their business development, for example, those about to hire their first employee or scale production. Applicants should be London-based for the duration of the residency, be committed to attending all the mentoring sessions and able to move in w/c 24 June 2024.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a 20min in-person interview in London on Monday 13 May 2024. In the circumstance you are unable to attend, reasonable adjustments for the interview will be made.