How do we make sure fashion graduates succeed?

1 Granary, the magazine started by former students of London’s Central Saint Martins, has eclipsed its MO of serving CSM’s student body by highlighting their work to become a tour de force in the wider world of fashion media. Their fifth anniversary bumper issue features incredible interviews with Dazed co-founder Jefferson Hack, fashion critic Cathy Horyn and i-D’s Terry and Tricia Jones.

But it doesn’t simply exist on dead trees—its founder Olya Kuryshchuk and her team are doubling down on supporting upcoming designers by partnering with Red Hook Labs. The idea is to showcase the designs of those exiting the proverbial swinging doors of fashion’s biggest institutions, armed with nothing more than student debt and unfettered talent.

Called VOID, the global initiative aims to boost emerging designers by rejigging how fashion is produced, distributed and consumed. “There’s never been more demand for young designers. Journalists, buyers, PRs—they all benefit from being associated with the fresh image of a young star. However, who is actually there to support them in the long term? Who can assure they have a healthy career beyond the first catwalk show?” Kuryshchuk asks, calling to mind many design talents who’ve faded away due in part to lack of support.

Featuring images of the work of 50 graduates from Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London, Parsons in New York, and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, VOID will help by publicizing the work of these graduates as well as giving them a hard dose of reality. Not everyone is gonna make it.

“We knew we wanted to help young designers beyond simply offering promotion, but quickly realized we wouldn’t be able to offer any financial support,” Kuryshchuk explains of the initiative. “What we try to offer instead is knowledge about the industry. We invite specialists to share their experience and give young designers the opportunity to work with established creatives. What happens is that we actually create conversations on the reality of our industry. Rather than pushing designers into a flawed system, we invite them to rethink it.”

Working together with Red Hook Labs and Art + Commerce’s Jimmy Moffat, Dazed’s Jefferson Hack and fashion writer Jo-Ann Furniss, Kuryshchuk has established an Avengers team to help the next McQueen or Margiela lean into success.

 

VOID AT RED HOOK LABS IN BROOKLYN RUNS FROM FEBRUARY 12, 2018 UNTIL FEBRUARY 17, 2018.