ellesse, in partnership with the Graduate Fashion Foundation, is excited to announce the GFF x ellesse Tailors Programme, an initiative dedicated to nurturing and celebrating the next wave of global design talent.
Venturing back to its sartorial roots, the Italian sportswear brand is inviting final year students to create a collection inspired by the brand's iconic "SARTORIA" range. Born on the slopes in the 1960s, ellesse founder Leonardo Servadio's vision of merging industry-leading technology with refined Italian style has set the tone for decades. Continuing its evolution, ellesse now strides confidently from ski to street with its contemporary streetwear line, “SARTORIA”. Channelling the brand's intrinsic DNA of flamboyance, energy, and tailored finesse, “SARTORIA” seeks to bridge the gap between sport and luxury, weaving each piece with a bold brand expression.
The design challenge calls students to dive into the ellesse archive and craft a 12-piece capsule collection for the SS24 “SARTORIA” range. Adhering to the brand's iconic elements - the chevron, the print, the jet stripe, and the rimini stripe - students are also tasked with integrating at least one tracksuit, an ellesse bestseller and wardrobe staple.
Rewarding creativity and vision, three student collections will have the chance to win a prize. Tier 1 receives a three-piece capsule production and a placement with a regional design partner. Tier 2 offers a paid placement and mentorship, while Tier 3 focuses on mentorship. All three winning collections will be spotlighted at Graduate Fashion Week, the world’s largest showcase of BA fashion talent, in London June 2024, garnering a feature with a prominent media platform.
Find out more about this competition here!
Also the ellesse team will be visiting a few of our UK member universities this term, to speak to their final year students about their brand, working at ellesse, and the live competition brief. ellesse will tour their Fashion Design studios, meeting some of the students entering the competition and seeing their work-in-progress!