Graduate Fashion Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new series of supportive activities and opportunities for UK and International member universities. For the first time in 29 years, Graduate Fashion Week had to be cancelled in March due to Covid-19, but the GFF charity is determined that all of the magic of GFW will not be lost. GFF have ensured all activities and events within the new plans deliver upon the charity’s mission statement and objectives across three key areas: Advice and Guidance; Bridging the Gap to Industry; and Showcasing, Rewarding and Celebrating the Best.
The new series contains elements that will be delivered on both a fixed time scale, plus new industry and media event opportunities on a moveable Autumn schedule. The Autumn projects are flexible for social distancing restrictions and government guidelines and have currently been reserved for September, but can be delivered up to December when possible.
Hilary Alexander OBE, President of Graduate Fashion Foundation said: “I share with all universities and the Class of 2020, the disappointment that we are unable to run Graduate Fashion Week this year. But I am thrilled with and excited by the innovative projects and platforms that have been devised to launch the creativity and skills of our graduates for the attention of the fashion world. Difficult times bring difficult challenges. However, necessity is the mother of invention – and we can and will rise to the challenges with the brilliant adaptability that has made our fashion industry the envy of the world.”
Graduate Fashion Foundation 2020 Awards:
Addressing the factors that have affected manufacturing courses, the charity has taken the decision to remove the five catwalk awards this year due to the halt in manufacturing and the closure of university studios and facilities. The awards have been replaced with four new awards: Fashion Illustration Award, Fashion Range Plan Award, Technical Drawing Award and Fashion Concept Award. Additionally, for the class of 2020, the charity has introduced the Adaptation Award to celebrate student’s resourcefulness and problem-solving skills during this unprecedented time.
Graduate Fashion Foundation is honoured to announce it will be supported by Samsung KX and will host online nominations for the Graduate Fashion Week Innovation Award, with the possibility of a physical celebration later this year. The top ten student shortlists for each award will be announced on Wednesday 10th June, with final judging taking place in July, winners will be announced in the Autumn.
GFF Portfolio & Design Industry Showcase:
GFF will be taking over an event space in London this Autumn for a celebration of the 2020 graduates’ achievements and work. The industry focused event will feature all 38 UK members with an additional area for international, and each university will showcase portfolios, with tutors in attendance to speak with industry attendees about the work on show.
GFF aims to support the 318 design students who have lost out on the chance to finish their collections and showcase on the GFW catwalk with three new opportunities. Central to this will be a GFF Showroom hosting eye-catching outfits with their portfolios. Additionally, a professionally curated fashion presentation will take place and the showcase will conclude with a GFF catwalk show. Selected outfits will be on show and industry, buyers and media will be invited to attend throughout (these events will be either physical or digital, depending on social distancing restrictions).
GFF Webinars:
Graduate Fashion Foundation launched a new Webinar Series on Monday 11th May, created to bring the industry’s guidance and advice exclusively to the homes of the Class of 2020. Within the series, the final year students will hear from industry experts across multiple disciplines of fashion, from Journalism and Marketing, to Makeup, Photography and Creative Direction.
GFF Portfolio Support:
GFF is partnering with the professional network The Dots to promote the work and profiles of the Class of 2020. Industry recruiters and media will be able to view all students work and scout talent upon the Graduate Fashion Foundation company profile and curated talent listings. The page will also direct industry through to personal profiles and additional work of students. The Dots is home to over half a million members from the arts and creative industries with over 70% being under 34. The tech platform includes a large live job portal containing roles from leading fashion industry.
Acting Chair of Graduate Fashion Week Douglas MacLennan said: “Out of adversity, comes innovation. The Graduate Fashion Foundation rose to the unprecedented global challenge, by placing an emphasis on listening to the 2020 graduating student needs and those of our academic members. In order to create the Foundation’s most innovative and exciting series of launch activities to date. The annual ‘Graduate Fashion Week’ launch period was historically held over a few days, in 2020 the activities will now be held over a number of months with a series of exciting new style activities.”
In 2021, Graduate Fashion Foundation celebrates 30 years of being one of the world’s most important sources of new talent for the global industry and the charity is already making plans for big celebrations.
