Paul Smith Fashion Residency: Empowering Emerging Designers in London

Paul Smith's Fashion Residency in London supports emerging designers with resources, mentorship, and studio space. Focus on business skills, community, and sustainable growth for fashion brand.

The residency introduced in 2024 as a four and a half year initiative, in partnership with the Mayor of London and Projekt (which provides mixed-use, budget friendly spaces for imaginative SMEs in London), and sustained by British GQ and the City of London Corporation. The initial cohort included LVMH Reward finalists Paolo Carzana and Pauline Dujancourt; British Style Council (BFC) Newgen developers Yaku and Karoline Vitto; knitwear label Paolina Russo; and contemporary womenswear tailor Laura Pitharas.

Residency Overview & Initial Cohort

Mosse’s advice to inbound residency developers is to ask for aid. Her recommendations for designers in this program and past is to never take too lightly the advantages of developing a strong neighborhood of fellow developers.

Mosse’s guidance to incoming residency developers is to ask for aid. Her recommendations for developers in this programme and beyond is to never ever undervalue the advantages of building a strong area of fellow designers.

Guidance for Residency Developers

Harri sees it as an “chance to experiment, team up and reinforce our imaginative service”. “With the support and the mentorship possibilities, we desire emerge from the residency with even more clarity to construct sustainable structures around our practice,” he claims. “We are actually thrilled to be a part of the new mate and gain from each other.”

The 2025/26 cohort consists of Ukrainian-born developer Masha Popova, known for her subversive jeans; Indian-born Harri, recognized for his inflatable latex silhouettes, which he is now translating to ready-to-wear; Swedish designer Petra Fagerström, known for her lenticular pleated garments and concentrate on craftsmanship; Chinese-American designer Joyce Bao, who blends Eastern and Western layout codes; Brazilian designer Renata Brenha, who focuses on artisanal crochet and colourful sports apparel; and menswear designer Eden Tan, who experiments with upcycling and recycled materials. This year, the foundation has actually likewise partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to welcome one American developer to sign up with the residency programme, whose name will certainly be introduced at a later date.

The 2025/26 Cohort

Offering something as tangible as free workshop space in main London has actually made a big impact for many developers, who have actually saved thousands on lease while likewise being able to move to a location that press and customers can quickly get to. The physical space has various other benefits, too: last December, the structure hosted a Xmas market at Studio Smithfield, using the first accomplice the chance to market directly to consumers, something Mosse is keen to see more of in the sector.

Each designer is coupled with a coach, and the foundation additionally has a network of 40 to 50 industry professionals that the designers can contact for even more particular guidance. That might consist of accountancy, legal, tax obligations, HR, commercial partnerships, operations, brand growth, innovative or advertising. Designers from associate one highlighted the benefit of done for free lawful sessions from Osborne Clarke LLP, which developed a contracts list for the designers.

Impact of Free Studio Space

“There’s an amazing support group for developers in London. Something we observed is that there can be a lot more bespoke company skills teaching,” states Martha Mosse, director of Paul Smith’s Foundation, who participated in 2023 from Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande Foundation. “It’s rather tough, if you most likely to a talk, to recognize just how to use that info to your very own business.”

Some systems of assistance for designers are concentrated mainly on revealing at fashion week, or prioritise one more method of constructing a brand name. These programmes have their place, yet risk providing a slim concept of just how an emerging fashion brand name can grow. Those participating in the Paul Smith Style Residency receive totally free workshop room in central London for 18 months, and over 60 hours of customized service mentoring, covering whatever from legal and financing to interactions and manufacturing.

Mentorship & Industry Expertise

“Because the begin, it’s constantly seemed like a continuous race between creativity, due dates and survival,” states Popova. “I’m delighted for this residency since it provides a moment to take a breath– and provides the devices and the support to bring structure to the creativity, while building a solid foundation for the brand name’s following chapter.”

The residency programme looks for developers that have actually provided for in between two and 6 seasons. Each developer is combined with a mentor, and the foundation also has a network of 40 to 50 market specialists that the developers can call on for more specific recommendations. Developers from accomplice one highlighted the benefit of pro bono lawful sessions from Osborne Clarke LLP, which developed an agreements checklist for the designers.

Building a Sustainable Business

Designers approved onto the program are expected to add to the imaginative area. “One of the most essential things we have actually observed from mate one is exactly how wonderful they are to each other.

Matthew Mumford, head of imaginative at Paul Smith, is a crucial coach for the programme; residency developers have actually made use of the Paul Smith brand name’s display room in Paris to provide their collections to buyers; and have seen its Nottingham HQ to find out exactly how the label records its ecommerce digital photography.

“We’re happy with the high quality of applications for the new friend of the Fashion Residency,” claims Paul Smith, creator of his eponymous brand and foundation. “When we first embarked on the programme nearly two years earlier, we were overwhelmed by the quantity of passion and it showed the very pushing demand for an effort like this.”

“For accomplice one, designers asked for specific sessions on certain topics, so we were able to reply to that and find individuals that could address really particular concerns,” claims Mosse. “We’re actually keen to make sure the mentorship is informed and isn’t too generalist, so the brand names can really feel the influence.”

Program Expectations & Community

Paul Smith’s Foundation has actually introduced the second team of emerging developers taking part in its Style Residency at Studio Smithfield in East London, which tackles among the largest obstacles dealing with arising developers today: just how to construct a feasible company.

The residency programme searches for developers that have provided for between two and six periods. “We desire people to be at an area in their service where they can really use and onboard [the recommendations from the mentorship], and we think that needs a couple of years working in the sector” says Mosse. “We likewise search for designers that are interested in improving their service abilities. There’s no factor coming into this program if you’re not thinking about finding out about tax and IP and advertising and marketing strategies.”