Graduate Fashion Week unveils 2022 schedule and new global ambassador

Graduate Fashion Week 2022 will take place from June 20 to 24 at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, London and will feature an in-person, digital and live stream schedule to showcase BA fashion talent from across the UK.

This year’s Graduate Fashion Week will mark a return to physical catwalk shows for the first time since 2019, and will open with a VIP catwalk event featuring the work from the Foundation’s 40 UK Member Universities, curated and hosted by Graduate Fashion Foundation ambassadors Henry Holland, Patrick McDowell and new GFW ambassador Munroe Bergdorf.

The four-day event will also include 15 catwalk shows featuring the work from 25 universities and presentations from four universities held within the GFW Dome presentation space. There will also be 37 fashion films on the GFW live stream. The schedule also includes 10 GFW Live! Talks within Samsung KX featuring industry experts Nadja Swarovski, Teatum Jones, Jimmy Choo, and Sara Blonstein, founder of the eponymous agency Blonstein, as well as platforms such as Fashion Minority Alliance and UK Black Comms Network.

In addition, there will be an exhibition featuring work from the Graduate Fashion Foundation’s 40 UK Member Universities and a Retail Trail with graduate work showcased in stores across Coal Drops Yard including Tom Dixon, Fred Perry and Cos. Samsung KX will also host an exhibition of inspiring graduate designs amplified with virtual displays using Samsung’s latest technology.

GFW names Munroe Bergdorf as new ambassador

The Graduate Fashion Foundation (GFF) has also named model and activist Munroe Bergdorf as the 21st global ambassador for the international charity to champion a more diverse and inclusive fashion industry. Munroe, who worked with Graduate Fashion Week at the start of her career, joins Richard Quinn, Ida Petersson, Sara Maino, Fabio Piras, Daniel Lismore, Christopher Raeburn, Teatum Jones, Caryn Franklin, Dior Bediako, Eunice Olumide, and Orsola De Castro as ambassadors for the graduate fashion event.

The GFF global ambassadors sit alongside the charities patrons Christopher Bailey, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Nick Knight, Diane von Furstenberg, Nadja Swarovski and Zandra Rhodes.

Commenting on her new role, Munroe said in a statement: “I’m so delighted to become an ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week. I'm a great admirer of the creative and unique designs that these future fashion leaders create and I'm always mindful to support them as much as possible by wearing their clothes on shoots and red carpets. I can’t wait to see what this years’ cohort bring to the runway, I’m sure they will continue to amaze us with their inspirational ideas and ground-breaking work.”

Graduate Fashion Week has been the springboard to success for many talents throughout the fashion industry, including Christopher Bailey, who was the winner of the first-ever Gold Award, Stella McCartney, Giles Deacon, Matthew Williamson and Julien MacDonald. At the 2022 event, GFW will present graduate talent from 26 different fashion disciplines and present awards covering accessories, innovation, footwear, textiles, marketing, photography, childrenswear, sportswear, and sustainable fashion.