Monsoon & Accessorize to fund fashion scholarships that champion sustainability – TheIndustry.fashion

Monsoon and Accessorize have today announced the launch of its Fashion Futures scholarships, which will be awarded to “trailblazing students” at the University of the Arts London (UAL) who are working to drive sustainability within the fashion industry.

To date, Monsoon and Accessorize has supported two students as part of a pilot year, a London College of Fashion (LCF) MA student and a sponsored PhD student at Central Saint Martins (CSM).

After the successful trial year, applications for the new Fashion Futures Student Scholarship are now being considered for September 2024.

To apply, students must have been accepted onto the MA Fashion Futures course at LCF, UAL and must already have a demonstrable commitment to sustainability. This includes creating regenerative fashion, creating zero-waste designs or showcasing digital innovations.

Cassandra Quinn, who is based at the Living Systems Lab Research Group at CSM, is a PHD student who was a recipient of last year’s scholarship. She is researching how to use wastewater to grow materials for the fashion industry that can be used meaningfully.

Quinn said: “I’m experimenting with different microorganisms to see what can remove the contaminants that are in it that can then be turned into pigments, bioplastics, bio resins, fibres or coatings to be used in clothes design.

“The idea is to create this system where everything is reused, where everything is a resource for another product or material or textile.”

Nick Stowe, CEO of Monsoon Accessorize, said: “UAL’s Fashion Futures course is groundbreaking and, more broadly, UAL provide 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. We’re excited to see how Sarabi’s and Cassandra’s research progresses.”

Polly Mackenzie, Chief Social Purpose Officer at UAL, added: “We are delighted to be working with Monsoon Accessorize to provide these brilliant scholarships for our students.

“This opportunity is an invaluable contribution to our commitment as UAL to create a better world through research and partnerships that target the sectors that matter. These scholarships play a vital role in supporting our students in creating a cleaner fashion industry that is rooted in sustainability and ethical practice.”