The Vanguard will act as an incubator and accelerator for the fashion industry’s brightest new talent
Leveraging its expertise in scouting, cultivating and promoting new brands, Net-A-Porter introduces The Vanguard, a program to develop emerging fashion designers.
Each fashion season, four new designers will be chosen based on their potential to sell globally online and will be offered a comprehensive mentorship program that will be overseen by Net-a-Porter’s team of buyers and its retail fashion director, Lisa Aiken. The programme will include sessions that discuss business strategy, buying, social media, public relations and marketing, all while stocking the brand on the site.
“Net-A-Porter has always taken a long-term approach to nurturing new designers, and I see The Vanguard as formalising this commitment in a way that will make a real difference to young brands. As a business, we have so much to offer by way of expertise, not to mention the invaluable exposure to our global audience. It will be a delight to see more talent flourish through this exciting program”, explained Alison Loehnis, President of Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter.
For autumn/winter 18, the selected designers are Les Reveries, RŪH, Gu_de and Martinez and span across womenswear, bags and footwear.
