Smiley Originals launches Future Creators Fund to support designers in their sustainability journey
Smiley Originals has launched its first bi-annual Future Creators Fund to support designers in their sustainability journey at global fashion weeks. In addition, Smiley has also announced a partnership with Labelhood, the fashion incubator and showcasing platform under Shanghai Fashion Week, which promotes emerging Chinese design talent.
The 500,000-pound fund and mentorship scheme was born out of Smiley Originals ‘Future Positive’ sustainability initiative and is linked to its partnership with the United Nations to deliver UN-SDG Goal 12 regarding responsible production and consumption.
©Smiley Originals
The fund has been designed to help “gaming-changing designers,” explains Smiley, by supporting them to switch to “a better, more responsible and circular the ideology of design, sourcing and manufacture”. The first intake of designers that have been allocated funds includes London-based Ahluwalia, Chet-Lo and AGR, alongside Kevin Germanier showing in Paris, South African Rich Mnisi and China’s Shutting Qiu, showing at Milan Fashion Week.
