With the waft of meat in the air on arrival, and the faint sound of reversing butchers trucks as a background score — Sir Paul Smith joined London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries Justine Simons in announcing the opening of 5,000 square feet of free studio space for the city’s upcoming fashion designers on Thursday (February 29) morning.
The sprawling, creative hub to-be — christened Studio Smithfield — can be found at the far end the Smithfield Meat Market (hence aroma), and has been acquired for three years thanks to £175,000 investments from The Mayor of London and Projekt, the affordable work and event space provider. Each year, six designers will be taken into the programme, which runs June to June, and receive a 400 square feet artist studio as well as foundational business and creative mentoring engineered by the Paul Smith Foundation, the designer’s 2020-founded charity focused at supporting rising creative talents.
“It's a very exciting day for me and for the foundation,” said Smith, to a industry heavy-weight crowd counting designers Charlieâ¯Casely-Hayford and Henry Holland — two mentors for successful applicants. Other mentors include Matthew Mumford, Head of Creative at Paul Smith, Phoebe Briggs the Brand Director of Harris Reed and Laura Weir, the Executive Creative Director, Selfridges. Menswear designer Craig Green has helped consult on the development of the project, which will also offers recipients access to a media suite, events spaces, photography studio and fabric dyeing space.
“People can apply now. There will be a board of judges to choose the six people — we're looking for people a year or two into having their own business, as opposed to straight out of uni. The main thing for me is the balance between the studios and the mentoring,” Smith said. “I started [my business] when I was in my early twenties and had no formal education at all. Learning by doing was really tough,” Smith said, and specified areas from accounting, licensing, strategizing, social media and succession planning would all be covered. “It's good that we can talk to people about so many young people — and explain VAT is not vodka and tonic.”
Simons, who also spoke, explained: “We are creating space for ideas to spark. Because while it's true we're in the middle of a technological transformation, and the world is smarter and more connected — nothing can replace the human connection when people get together.” It comes, she continued, “as an exciting new chapter in the quest to support creatives in London.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said in a statement: “Our creative industries are the lifeblood of our capital… [and] our residency programme will give the next generation of fashion designers the space and business know-how to excel, grow their businesses and learn from the best in the industry.”
Applications for the June 2024 — June 2025 cohort are open now, and close on 14 April. Specifying “diversity is London’s greatest asset”, Studio Smithfield “particularly encourage[s] applications from Black, Asian, and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates.”
Apply here: studiosmithfield.com
