Graduate Fashion Foundation is delighted to announce 10 new Global Ambassadors are joining the charity this October 2020. From iconic designers, International buyers and Sustainability Activists to VIP Stylists, Editors and Marketing Experts, GFF are thrilled to welcome the new line-up as the latest supporters of the internationally acclaimed charity.
Best known for its year-round work and main Graduate Fashion Week event each June Graduate Fashion Foundation has become a key source for new talent, inspiration and innovation and is an essential part of the industry’s annual calendar.
The Global Ambassadors new role for the GFF charity will include; offering advice and guidance to undergraduates and alumni, attending GFF industry and graduate events, joining judging panels for the GFF Annual Awards, representing the charity and its work within the industry and supporting the next generation of fashion talent across 26 disciplines.
Graduate Fashion Foundation President Hilary Alexander OBE said, “We are thrilled to have such fantastic and motivational industry members join GFF as Global Ambassadors and continue supporting the Foundation’s goals and objectives to bridge the gap between education and industry. They each join the charity with many years’ experience in their specialist areas of the industry, and they will hugely inspire the next generate of talent emerging from UK and International universities.”
Meet The Global Ambassadors:
Orsola de Castro is the Co-Founder and Global Creative Director of Fashion Revolution, a global campaign with participation in over 90 countries around the world. Orsola is a regular key note speaker and mentor and an internationally recognised opinion leader in sustainable fashion. Her career started as a designer with the pioneering upcycling label From Somewhere, which she launched in 1997 until 2014. In 2006, she co-founded the British Fashion Council initiative Estethica at London Fashion Week, which she curated until 2014.
Orsola said on joining GFF as a Global Ambassador: “I am so proud to have been asked to be a Global Ambassador for the Graduate Fashion Foundation. Over the years their work has continuously provided support and visibility to universities and their students - invaluably opening doors and encouraging a fruitful future for young graduates. There is no other place I’d rather be, or role I wish to have, than to be an active part of this support system.”
Eunice Olumide MBE is an international supermodel, broadcaster and curator. In 2017 she was awarded an MBE for her contribution to Arts, Broadcasting and Charity work. She has appeared in world-wide campaigns, fashion weeks and editorials plus walked for designer’s including Mulberry, Christopher Kane, Henry Holland and Harris Tweed. Eunice also published her first book ‘How To Get Into Fashion in 2018.
Eunice said on joining GFF as a Global Ambassador: “'Graduate Fashion Foundation is an inimitable organisation dedicated to supporting remarkable fashion. It's legacy and ethos are at the heart of everything I champion and stand for. It is the essential catalyst supporting the future top designers for generations to come”.
Patrick McDowell is a London based designer captivating the fashion industry. After studying at Central Saint Martins Patrick has gone on to reinvent the roll of a fashion designer as we know it today. Proving that it is not only a designer’s responsibility to create beautiful clothing but also redesign the systems they sit within. Hosting London Fashion Week’s first ever Swap Shop, collaborating with global brands to promote sustainability and creating collections completely digitally Patrick’s creativity knows no bounds.
Patrick said on joining as a Global Ambassador, “Becoming a Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Foundation is a defining moment in my career so far. Education and the support of young creative fashion talent is paramount to the future and success of our industry and a cause very close to my heart. I couldn't be more humbled to be joining the Foundation, focusing on creative education, sustainability and a fairer fashion industry for all.”
Dior Bediako, is the Founder of Pepper Your Talk and The Junior Network, which works to close the gap between education and early employment whilst removing any feelings of imposture syndrome. Specialising in enhancing skills, cultivating connections and championing confidence. With a background in Fashion Promotions and having worked with brands such as Burberry, Dior hosts hands on events and workshops offering practical solutions to everyday professional obstacles.
Dior said on becoming a Global Ambassador, “In an industry that is known for constant reinvention, it is important to open avenues for innovation and acknowledge who is driving it. For many years this is what I've seen the Graduate Fashion Foundation do through their support and showcase of young fashion talent and I'm very proud to be an ambassador of this movement. Students and graduates work incredibly hard to birth ideas that are deep-rooted in their personal experiences, beliefs and hopes for the world - we stand to learn a lot from them.”
Ida Petersson is the Director of Mens and Womenswear Buying at Browns. Ida is a huge supporter on emerging talent and creativity and is passionate about scouting unique product and design. In her role, Ida oversees the men’s and women’s buys at Browns, the London concept store acquired by Farfetch in May 2015. She is also a leading role in a number of the experiential, cultural and purpose driven initiatives for the brand. She has successfully engaged a streetwear-focused, digitally-driven younger generation of consumers.
Ida Petersson said on becoming a Global Ambassador, “I had the opportunity to attend the Graduate Fashion Foundation showcase this past season and was in awe with the level of creativity, craftsmanship and talent on offer. At Browns discovering, nurturing and platforming the next generation of designers is inherent to our DNA and I look forward to continuing our partnership with the foundation, alongside the incredible line-up of ambassadors, by offering the necessary support and mentorship to allow these young designers to flourish.”
Isabella Silvers is a multi award-winning Integrated Associate Editor in Hearst STUDIO, working across titles including Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper's Bazaar. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 in 2018 and as a Rising Star in the creative industries by We Are The City. As a leading member of Hearst’s Diversity & Inclusivity Steering Group and Co-Chair of Hearst Heritage network, she is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity in all areas of the industry and was shortlisted for Hero of the Year at the European Diversity Awards and BAME Workplace Hero at the Investing In Ethnicity Awards.
Isabella said on joining the charity, “I am thrilled to be joining Graduate Fashion Foundation as a Global Ambassador. Throughout my career, I have always looked to support emerging talent, particularly from marginalised voices. Our industry thrives on innovation and fresh, creative thinking, something GFF has championed from day one, and I can’t wait to work together to support the stars of the future.”
Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones are the Founders of premium designer label Teatum Jones. The designers are united by a shared fascination of humans and their stories. They truly believe in the power of fashion to present a pro-social message of inclusivity and positive identity. Teatum Jones believe in creating socially conscious fashion that puts the craftspeople and the customer at the heart of their creation. Their approach to design has earned them accolades and recognition as London’s young ‘textile pioneers’ and ‘innovators’
Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones, Founders of Teatum Jones said on joining GFF, “ We have worked with the Foundation for the past three years and it has been a pleasure to be asked to join as Global Ambassadors because every graduate deserves a chance to be nurtured into a confident creative young professional and valued for their talent in the same way we were when we graduated. Supporting the next generation of our industry is more important than ever before.”
Bemi Shaw is a Stylist and Journalist. She has worked with, and dressed some of the biggest British talent including Jorja Smith, Sasha Keable and DJ Yasmin to name but a few alongside her work styling Victoria Beckham for The Guardian and shoots featured in The Observer Magazine, Marie Claire and Hypebae. She is on a mission to champion Black excellence and promote the next generation of female bosses. With a background in Fashion Journalism, Bemi flows between writing and styling but also works on casting and production for videos and commercials.
Bemi said on becoming a Global Ambassador, “It is my passion to back the next generation of talent and being invited to become a Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Foundation is an honour and will allow me to help support more incredible talent entering our industry, from designers to stylists and creative directors.”
Edeline Lee is a Canadian-British, London-based designer who launched her eponymous label in 2014. Edeline Lee pieces emphasise precision cut, hand-made details, and femininity of form. They are tailored to fit on a wide range of body types. Her signature fabrics resist wrinkling so that women can function at a high level in the clothes. She is known for her immersive and performative shows at London Fashion Week.
Edeline said on becoming an Ambassador, "I am thrilled to be supporting the Graduate Fashion Foundation. It is so important that we nurture the talent we have in abundance here in the UK. The fashion industry can be daunting and GFF gives a much-needed platform to those who are at the beginning of their careers. GFW is a hub of creativity and ideas that creates visibility and prospects for the next generation."
The ten new Global Ambassadors join the current eleven who were appointed in 2016 and 2018 to support the work of the international charity. They include Richard Quinn, Julien Macdonald, Caryn Franklin MBE, Henry Holland, Sara Maino, Fabio Piras, Gok Wan MBE, Iain R Webb, Daniel Lismore, Pam Hogg and Christopher Raeburn.
The GFF Global Ambassadors sit alongside the Charities Patrons Christopher Bailey MBE, Victoria Beckham OBE, Vivienne Westwood DBE RDI, and Nick Knight OBE who were all appointed in 2016 during the charities 25th anniversary as well as Diane von Furstenberg and Nadja Swarovski who were appointed in 2018 and Zandra Rhodes DBE RDI appointed in 2019.