Fashion retail group Monsoon Accessorize has announced it will fund scholarships for “trailblazing students” on the MA Fashion Futures course at London College of Fashion (LCF) and Central Saint Martins (CSM), University of the Arts London (UAL).

The move follows a successful pilot where the retail group supported two students, an LCF MA Fashion Futures student and a sponsored PhD at CSM, as it looks to help further sustainable thinking as part of the business’s interest in sustainability and innovation in fashion.

The retailer supported LCF MA Fashion Futures student Sarabi Hawke, who started to host crochet workshops in the communities, and Cassandra Quinn, a PHD student based at the Living Systems Lab Research Group at CSM who is researching how to use wastewater to grow materials for the fashion industry that can be used in a meaningful way.

The new scholarships will be considering applications for September 2024 with Monsoon Accessorize looking for students who have a demonstrable commitment to sustainability, with an emphasis on regenerative fashion, including raw materials, processes and design, and zero-waste design and digital innovation, such as solutions for pre-consumer waste and products that fail quality control.

Monsoon and Accessorize added that applications are welcome “from those who are in financial hardship and those who will benefit from postgraduate studies to realise their full potential”.

Monsoon Accessorize launch Future Fashion scholarships at LCF and CSM

Commenting on the move, Nick Stowe, chief executive of Monsoon Accessorize, said in a statement: “We have developed a great working relationship with UAL on a number of sustainability and innovation projects, and we’re proud to be able to support their students directly via these scholarships.

“UAL’s Fashion Futures course is groundbreaking and, more broadly, UAL provide an incredible platform for research and innovation in our industry. We see these scholarships as just one part of our investment in creating a better future for fashion, investing in the people making real change. We’re excited to see how Sarabi’s and Cassandra’s research progresses.”

Polly Mackenzie, chief social purpose officer at UAL, added: “We are delighted to be working with Monsoon Accessorize to provide these brilliant scholarships for our students. This opportunity is an invaluable contribution to our commitment as UAL to create a better world through research and partnerships that target the sectors that matter.

“These scholarships play a vital role in supporting our students in creating a cleaner fashion industry that is rooted in sustainability and ethical practice.”

Last year, fashion retailer Monsoon unveiled an eight-piece collaborative zero-waste capsule collection with LCF, featuring ponchos, dresses, dungarees and jeans designed using surplus stock from previous seasons.