This month, a group of 11 young design students selected for Gucci’s Design Fellowship will embark on a 12-month learning experience and cultural exchange
Inclusivity, diversity, education and cultural enrichment are at the heart of Gucci’s Design Fellowship Program, which was launched in 2019. Today, 11 design students from all over the world, will begin a 12-month program with Gucci at its design offices in Rome, the home base of Creative Director Alessandro Michele.
As part of its Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, the multi-cultural program aims to provide opportunities for underrepresented groups, by mentoring novice designers on their quest to accrue hands-on professional experience, garner exposure to the arena of luxury fashion design and secure a professional career.
Gucci would like to welcome Afua Anima from Radford University College, Ghana; Honggeun from South Korea’s ESMOD; Jasleen Kaur from Mcensal School of Fashion Design, Kenya; Jesus Horacio, from Mexico’s Universidad Jannette Klein; Lorena, from Dubai’s ESMOD; Melanie, of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology; Micheal, of Lagos’ UNILAG; Robyn, Design Academy of Fashion, South Africa; Steve French of Radford University College, Ghana; Ting-Chia from Japan’s Bunka Gakuen and Xiaoxue of China Academy of Art. These 11 students were selected by Gucci’s Design team, after a group of 50 finalists was invited to Gucci’s offices in Florence and in Rome for a three-day trip. Each one of these 11 individuals has been selected for his/her own unique set of skills and field of study. Gucci hopes the fellowship will also prove a valuable cultural exchange for Gucci’s design team.
“I am so excited about the opportunity that the students will be given and even more so about the experience Gucci will have for this cultural exchange within design. I have always known what inclusivity could bring to each; having the proper opportunity is all we need”, affirmed Bethann Hardison, Gucci’s Executive Advisor on Global Equity and Culture.
