Monsoon and Accessorize have had a successful pilot year and now they have made the announcement that a new commitment to funding scholarships, will be upheld by these two companies. This commitment will apply to the University of Arts London (UAL), London College of Fashion (LCF) and Central Saint Martins (CSM).

By holding this scholarship, the company is aiming to support one LCF MA Fashion Futures student, in order to help further sustainable thinking, aligned with its goals and consequently drive sustainability within the fashion industry. At the moment, the companies are accepting applications for the MA Fashion Futures Student Scholarship at LCF, which are for the September 2024 intake.

This scholarship has been well thought-out and is specifically aimed at students who meet a certain criteria, such as those who are in financial hardship and who have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability.

The two key focuses for determining which students are suitable include, ‘Regenerative fashion including raw materials. Processes and design.’ Plus, ‘Zero-waste design and digital innovation, including solutions for pre-consumer waste and products that fail quality control.’

So far, the initial pilot which Monsoon held has benefitted two students including Sarabi Hawke at LCF doing an MA Fashion Futures Degree and Cassandra Quinn at CSM doing a PhD. Sarabi Hawke is focusing on exploring how community craft workshops can be leveraged for activism and ecological reclamation. Cassandra Quinn is researching the use of wastewater when it comes to growing materials for the fashion industry. Her aim is to create a closed-loop system, in which all resources are reused.

Chief Social Purpose Officer at UAL, Polly Mackenzie, praised the partnership and said that the “scholarships contribute to UAL’s commitment to creating a better world through research and partnerships targeting crucial sectors. These scholarships play a vital role in supporting our students in creating a cleaner fashion industry that is rooted in sustainability and ethical practice.”

CEO of Monsoon Accessorize, Nick Stowe mentioned, “We have developed a great working relationship with UAL on a number of sustainability and innovation projects, and we’re proud to be able to support their students directly via these scholarships. UAL’s Fashion Futures course provides an incredible platform for research and innovation in our industry. We see these scholarships as just one part of our investment in creating a better future for fashion, investing in the people making real change.”