Last week, Burberry came together with its partner, The BRIT School, to celebrate young creatives by showcasing the final-year projects of the Fashion, Styling and Textiles students.
Held at Burberry’s London headquarters, Horseferry House, the showcase presented the work of twenty-six students and offered a unique opportunity for them to share their skills and network with industry professionals across the business.
From garments created with surplus Burberry materials to handmade shoes crafted in upcycled leather and orange peel, digital presentations and hand-felted pieces, the final projects incorporated a range of mediums, demonstrating the School’s commitment to nurturing creativity, circularity and craftsmanship.
With Burberry colleagues and senior leaders in attendance, Burberry’s Chief People Officer, Alexandra McCauley, announced the winners of the annual Burberry Stepping Stones Bursary Prize. With a shared commitment to nurturing young talent and amplifying diverse voices, the bursary offers two graduating Year Thirteen students from global majority backgrounds financial support as they embark on creative careers.
"We are so proud to partner with The BRIT School for their Fashion, Styling and Textiles course, and to celebrate the creativity and excellence of their students at Horseferry House. The calibre of work that we witnessed at the showcase was incredible and a real testament to why supporting creative institutions is so important, not only for the preservation of craftsmanship and the nurturing of creativity, but for the future of our industry. We look forward to continuing our partnership and welcoming the School back to our headquarters soon."
"Burberry coming on board as the Principal Partner of our Fashion, Styling and Textiles course has been life-changing for our students. Many of them will have seen and admired Burberry in Vogue since they were young. To now have the same brand championing them, leading workshops and offering mentorship, is incredibly special. It has reminded our students that they too have infinite potential and could one day be industry professionals at a brand like Burberry."
One of the winners of the Burberry Stepping Stones Bursary Prize, Azania St Marthe, commented: ‘Winning the bursary money was very surreal and a dream come true for me. I plan to spend it on fashion design courses that can help me in my journey after BRIT, and on new sewing machines.’
Burberry has extended its sponsorship of the Fashion, Styling and Textiles course, which supports fifty students annually, by helping the School to continue to offer world-class facilities and educational off-site visits at no cost to families. Students also benefit from Burberry’s participation in The BRIT School’s student enrichment programme – a scheme that has seen Burberry colleagues present workshops for mentorship, industry-specific skill sharing and career guidance.
For further information on Burberry’s partnership with The BRIT School, click here.
In June 2023, Burberry became the Principal Partner of The BRIT School’s Fashion, Styling and Textiles (FST) course, and introduced the Burberry Stepping Stones Bursary Prize.
The FST course is a UAL accredited extended diploma which the school first introduced in 2021 and explores a variety of technical skills - from textiles and pattern cutting, to photography, styling, fashion illustration and graphic design.
The FST course is a part of The BRIT School’s Visual Arts and Design department (VAD Department).
With a shared commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the Burberry Stepping Stones Bursary Prize offers two graduating year 13 students of global majority backgrounds financial support as they embark on a creative career.
Burberry is a British luxury brand headquartered in London, UK.
Founded in 1856, Burberry is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BRBY.L) and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.
BURBERRY, the Equestrian Knight Design, the Burberry Check and the Thomas Burberry Monogram and Print are all trademarks belonging to Burberry.
The BRIT School is the UK’s first and leading free performing and creative arts school for 1,500 young people aged 14 to 19. The School – an exempt charity based in Croydon – invests in the future of the UK’s cultural wealth by nurturing young artistic talent from all backgrounds and teaching the skills needed by the rapidly growing creative industries. Nearly 100% of graduates progress on to HE, FE or employment on leaving the school.
BRIT stands for the British Record Industry Trust. Without the generosity of the record industry and funding from the BRIT Awards and BRIT Trust, the School would never have been built and its superb facilities would never have been installed.
The School opened in 1991 and over 13,000 students have been educated at The BRIT School including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Jessie J, Katie Melua, Leona Lewis, RAYE, Tom Holland, Olivia Dean, Lola Young, Loyle Carner, The Feeling, Rizzle Kicks and the The Kooks. In total, students from the School have been responsible for selling over 280m+ albums, billions of streams and winning 43 high-profile awards including Grammys, BAFTAs, Oscars, Laurence Olivier and BRIT Awards. In 2024 The BRIT School was awarded Ofsted Outstanding in every category.
