NEWS: FASHION X CRAFT funding program with 3-week residency in England

Berlin, 30 August 2024: This year, the Fashion Council Germany, in cooperation with the Swarovski Foundation and The King's Foundation, launched the third round of the FASHION x CRAFT funding programme. As early as February 2024, the six winners of the third year were announced and their designs exhibited as part of Berlin Fashion Week at Der Berliner Salon. The aim of the initiative is to promote young fashion and textile designers by providing them with tailor-made workshops in the areas of sustainability, craftsmanship and innovation. As part of the project, the six design talents travelled to Highgrove in England, an educational institution of The King's Foundation.

The project's focus on traditional craftsmanship was also reflected in the workshops on topics such as braiding, woodwork, weaving, natural dyeing, decorative paving and casting. During their time in Highgrove, the participants learned how to use nature-related materials and how to be inspired by the environment. The diverse program was complemented by presentations by experts who shared their knowledge and experience in the fields of sustainability and innovation. In this way, the participants gained valuable insights into the connection between traditional craftsmanship and modern sustainable practices. They also evaluated how materials can influence the creative process and how the personal "design DNA" is shaped by the environment. The central learning was a reflective approach in order to integrate external impressions and what had been learned in the best possible way.

The highlight of the stay was the development and implementation of their own designs and sketches, with the participants incorporating the techniques and materials they had learned. The results were presented in a final presentation. The methods learned and the knowledge acquired now serve as inspiration for the final designs, which will be presented in February 2025 at the next Berlin Fashion Week.

The participants of the third year include Chantal Wehran (Amsterdam Fashion Institute), Jasmin Wottke (HAW Hamburg), Maira Gath (Hanover University of Applied Sciences), Michelle Bohnes (HTW Berlin), Niclas Hasemann (Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences) and Paula Dischinger (Institut Francais de la Mode).

More information about the project under the following link.