Tu supports Graduate Fashion Foundation for fourth year as leading designers step up to mentor

Graduate Fashion Foundation has announced its partnership with Tu for the fourth year running. The 2019 partnership will see two graduates receive a year-long scholarship within the Tu design team in Coventry.

The chosen graduates will each earn a mentorship with acclaimed British designers Tamara and Natasha Surguladze from label Tata Naka and returning mentors Rob Jones and Catherine Teatum from the 2016 International Woolmark Prize-winning brand Teatum Jones.

Tu will support Graduate Fashion Foundation’s emerging talent by offering the winning graduates a paid 12-month placement with the Tu design department, which will culminate in the launch of their own collection in 2020.

Rebecca Hitchings, Trading Director for Sainsbury’s and Argos, said: “After our continued success over the last three years with our Tu scholarship programmes we are thrilled to be partnering with Graduate Fashion Week for a fourth year. We’re looking forward to working with Teatum Jones again and are excited to welcome Tata Naka as new mentors. We wish all the graduates participating the best of luck!”

Anna Clarke, Head of Design at Tu, will join the judging panel for the prestigious Womenswear Award on Wednesday 5th June. Additionally, Tu will be holding its second pop-up shop within Graduate Fashion Week, where the last year’s winners’ collections will be available to browse and buy online.

Martyn Roberts, Creative and Managing Director of Graduate Fashion Week, said: “Once again, Graduate Fashion Week is set to be an incredible showcase for some of the world’s best fashion graduates. Each year we expand, and we are now bigger than ever before. We are delighted to have Tu on board for another year and are excited for 2019’s partnership and mentoring Scholarship Awards. Tu truly understand the importance of nurturing young talent and watching them grow, it’s for this reason our partnerships are always so successful.”

Graduate Fashion Week is the world’s largest event for BA Fashion talent and this year’s event will be taking place on 2–5 June 2019 at The Old Truman Brewery, Shoreditch, London.