The METALLIC FUND Is the Creative Program Giving Aspiring UK Talent the Spotlight to Succeed

Foot Locker Europe has unveiled the designs of six successful applicants who took part in its 10-week creative educational fashion program in partnership with the charitable foundation, The METALLIC FUND.

Back in November last year, Hypebeast helped launch The Metallic Fund project, an initiative hoping to turbo-charge the careers of Black and POC designers. Founded in 2020 by Grace Ladoja and Alex Sossah The METALLIC FUND has now helped shine a spotlight on aspiring talent in creative industries, giving a better chance to make their way up the highly-competitive ladder.

Housed within the London-based METALLIC FUND Space, each creative involved in the program has passions that lie in the world of fashion, streetwear, and sportswear and are currently at the beginning of their fashion careers.

Showcased in the film above, The Metallic Fund talent creative talent were mentored by the likes of Martine Rose, Gee Schmidt, Errolson Hugh and Lulu Kennedy on their way to delivering their work in its final form in Foot Locker’s Marble Arch store.

Tianan Ding, Celine Kreis, Nicole Vernon, Pokuaa Ansere, Niran Nair, and Nigel Matambo — the six aspiring designers involved in the program — began their involvement in the program in February 2022 and now, select items from their limited edition capsule collections have been made available to purchase exclusively at the Foot Locker Marble Arch store in London for the next 10 days.

One outfit from each young talent has been selected to be sold to the public, with some of the stand-out designs coming in the form of a bespoke tracksuit from Nicole Vernon that takes inspiration from a “world with no rules,” while Celine Kreis has curated a selection of skirts and tops.

To hear more about the designers’ experiences, watch the documentary above and in other news, take a look at BSTN’s “The Holiday” collection.