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Paul Smith’s Foundation has announced the second group of emerging designers taking part in its Fashion Residency at Studio Smithfield in East London, which tackles one of the biggest challenges facing emerging designers today: how to build a viable business.
The 2025/26 cohort comprises Ukrainian-born designer Masha Popova, known for her subversive denim; Indian-born Harri, known for his inflatable latex silhouettes, which he is now translating to ready-to-wear; Swedish designer Petra Fagerström, known for her lenticular pleated garments and focus on craftsmanship; Chinese-American designer Joyce Bao, who blends Eastern and Western design codes; Brazilian designer Renata Brenha, who focuses on artisanal crochet and colourful sportswear; and menswear designer Eden Tan, who experiments with upcycling and recycled materials. This year, the foundation has also partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to invite one American designer to join the residency programme, whose name will be announced at a later date.
“We’re delighted with the quality of applications for the new cohort of the Fashion Residency,” says Paul Smith, founder of his eponymous brand and foundation. “When we first embarked on the programme nearly two years ago, we were overwhelmed by the volume of interest and it demonstrated the very pressing need for an initiative like this.”
The residency launched in 2024 as a four and a half year initiative, in collaboration with the Mayor of London and Projekt (which provides mixed-use, affordable spaces for creative SMEs in London), and supported by British GQ and the City of London Corporation. The first cohort included LVMH Prize finalists Paolo Carzana and Pauline Dujancourt; British Fashion Council (BFC) Newgen designers Yaku and Karoline Vitto; knitwear label Paolina Russo; and contemporary womenswear tailor Laura Pitharas.
Some systems of support for designers are focused primarily on showing at fashion week, or prioritise another way of building a brand. These programmes have their place, but risk presenting a narrow idea of how an emerging fashion brand can grow. Those taking part in the Paul Smith Fashion Residency receive free studio space in central London for 18 months, and over 60 hours of tailored business mentoring, covering everything from legal and finance to communications and production.
Matthew Mumford, head of creative at Paul Smith, is a key mentor for the programme; residency designers have used the Paul Smith brand’s showroom in Paris to present their collections to buyers; and have visited its Nottingham HQ to learn how the label captures its e-commerce photography.
“There’s an amazing support system for designers in London. One thing we observed is that there could be more bespoke business skills teaching,” says Martha Mosse, director of Paul Smith’s Foundation, who joined in 2023 from Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande Foundation. “It’s quite difficult, if you go to a talk, to understand how to apply that information to your own business.”
“Since the start, it’s always felt like a constant race between creativity, deadlines and survival,” says Popova. “I’m excited for this residency because it offers a moment to breathe — and provides the tools and the support to bring structure to the creativity, while building a strong foundation for the brand’s next chapter.”
Harri sees it as an “opportunity to experiment, collaborate and strengthen our creative business”. “With the support and the mentorship opportunities, we aspire to emerge from the residency with more clarity to build sustainable frameworks around our practice,” he says. “We are really excited to be a part of the new cohort and learn from each other.”
A tailored approach to mentorship
The residency programme looks for designers who have presented for between two and six seasons. “We want people to be at a place in their business where they can actually onboard and apply [the advice from the mentorship], and we think that needs a couple of years working in the industry” says Mosse. “We also look for designers who are interested in bettering their business skills. There’s no point coming into this programme if you’re not interested in learning about tax and IP and marketing strategies.”
Each designer is paired with a mentor, and the foundation also has a network of 40 to 50 industry professionals that the designers can call on for more specific advice. That might include accounting, legal, taxes, HR, commercial partnerships, operations, brand development, creative or marketing. Designers from cohort one highlighted the benefit of pro bono legal sessions from Osborne Clarke LLP, which developed a contracts checklist for the designers.
“For cohort one, designers requested specific sessions on certain topics, so we were able to respond to that and find people who could answer very specific questions,” says Mosse. “We’re really keen to make sure the mentorship is educated and isn’t too generalist, so the brands can really feel the impact.”
Offering something as tangible as free studio space in central London has made a big impact for many designers, who have saved thousands on rent while also being able to move to a location that press and buyers can easily get to. The physical space has other benefits, too: last December, the foundation hosted a Christmas market at Studio Smithfield, offering the first cohort the opportunity to sell directly to customers, something Mosse is keen to see more of in the industry. “I think a greater focus on selling opportunities would always be a good thing to see more of,” she says. “Without that, you can’t underpin your brand development.”
Designers accepted onto the programme are expected to contribute to the creative community. “One of the most important things we’ve observed from cohort one is how wonderful they are to each other. It could be as simple as saying, ‘I’m making a sample, who’s a size 10 and can you come and try this on?’” says Mosse. “The sense of community is really ripped away after you graduate from university, and it’s hard to find — even tougher if you’re building a brand in isolation.”
Mosse’s advice to incoming residency designers is to ask for help. “The people who make the most of the programme are the ones who are most communicative and open about where they would like support. There’s probably someone that can help you within our network, but we don’t know how to help you unless you say,” explains Mosse. Finally, her advice for designers in this programme and beyond is to never underestimate the benefits of building a strong community of fellow designers. “Peer-to-peer support will outlast any support programme you’re enrolled in.”
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