Visa teams up with LCF and Sophie Tea to search for UK’s next circular fashion stars

Visa has partnered with the London College of Fashion (LCF) and artist and social media star, Sophie Tea, on a new initiative to help accelerate the business growth of budding circular fashion entrepreneurs in the UK.

As part of its Visa Young Creators series, the ‘Recycle the Runway’ initiative will see six successful finalists, including one grand prize winner, receive individual grants from a total prize pool of £20,000.

They will also receive access to mentoring from industry experts during the competition, as well as the opportunity to be recognised by fashion industry body, London College of Fashion, UAL.

Finalists will present their collections at a catwalk show in Central London on 22 May 2025, judged by Sophie Tea alongside experts from Visa and the British fashion industry.

Visa’s aim is to encourage creators to reimagine how they design, produce and sell fashion, making recommerce – the regenerative way to buy, re-use and share goods and services – "desirable and habitual to accelerate economic growth".

Katherine Brown, VP, Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Visa Europe, said: "Recommerce is more than a buzzword, it’s a powerful shift in how we buy and sell goods, which is driving growth in the UK economy.

"Through our Recycle the Runway initiative, we’re excited to celebrate fashion creators who are embracing this change and to help provide the tools they need to grow through circular business models. By making circular fashion more accessible, and rewarding, we can help these small businesses thrive."

Sophie Tea, who is known for her distinctive and inclusive paintings, added: "Creativity has always been my thing - taking ideas and turning them into something real and meaningful. I love a story, and that’s why I’m so excited to be part of the Visa Creators Recycle the Runway initiative.

"It’s an amazing chance for creators to bring their talent to life while celebrating those who make reusing and repurposing a priority.

"This initiative is all about reimagining how we create, wear, and give a second life to fashion. If you’re a designer who’s committed to conscious design, this is your moment to get noticed, learn from the best, and level up your business. I’m so looking forward to seeing all the brilliant ideas that come through."

The closing date for entrants is 8 May 2025 and applicants must be at least 18 years of age and based in the UK to enter.

They must also have an early stage start-up business with a minimum of one year in operation, and they must also be able to demonstrate how their design-led business embraces circular business models to align with at least one of the ‘R’s of circular fashion; repair, resale, return, redistribution, rental or refill.