The FashMash Young Pioneers mentoring programme is central to a new story on WWD exploring inclusivity in the fashion sector.
The article explores how mentoring could be one solution to fashion's racial inclusion problem. Written by Natalie Theodosi, it looks at how industry professionals are volunteering to provide and improve access.
As our first Young Pioneers group draws to a close at the end of this week and we gear up for our next cohort of applications, it was an honour to speak about how the last six months have developed, bringing in voices of two of our mentors in Vanessa Belleau and Nina Patel, and featuring alongside Dior Bediako of The Junior Network, with whom we partnered for the scheme.
Thank you also to our incredible Young Pioneers themselves, who also contributed their take on it all. Here's the perspective from one of them, Nayanika Bharadwaj:
“Working in the fashion and sustainability fields as a person of color can be tricky to navigate, but the sessions I’ve had with my mentor and our group have provided invaluable guidance and an understanding of the nitty-gritties of a flourishing, impactful career. It’s inspired me to be more confident in my skills and abilities, plus the incredible network we have gained access to has been so important as well.”
We are so proud of all our Young Pioneers and how they’ve developed over the past six months, and we can't wait to see where their careers take them next.
Read the full article here. And stay tuned for news about our next mentoring programme in early summer.
You can find more FashMash press coverage here.