Introducing The 4 Winners Of NET-A-PORTER’s Inaugural Vanguard Education Fund

“The style of my work is a combination of sports and technical wear with punk and metal connotations. Best coined as ‘Dark Sci-Fi’, it is like something that would exist in a tech-noir film. The use of all-black and chrome trims is a reference to the balancing of the yin and yang, also pulling inspiration from the notion of ‘anti-fashion’ designers like Rei Kawakubo. In a further comparison to contemporary designers, my aesthetic is somewhere close to a mix of Rick Owens, Y-3, and Acronym.”

“Designing is essential for me. The first motivation for my work is a visceral need to tell stories and make shelters for the individuals who hope for something more than what everyday life provides. I am obsessed with questions of cultures and dimensions, which can be physical, artificial, virtual or sensorial. Creativity is the ultimate way of bringing people together. As an autistic person, I’ve always craved social interactions while also observing them like alien behavior. Through design, I can speak this language. Gathering people together is intrinsically a part of my design practice.”

“My works aren’t fashion objects, rather modular objects, made in construction sets. The wearer is the designer, deciding its function thus creating its aesthetic. Well-designed objects serve innate human desires. Objects that serve speak to the sacred and outlive human life.”

“The passage of time is the central concept of my work, from which I explore the irreversible and unpredictable impact it has on people and objects. This interest and sensitivity has come from my upbringing in Portugal, where everything is beautifully and unpretentiously decayed and run down. I take great inspiration from things I see outside, which I thoroughly document and use as the research for my work, through photographs and textile manipulations. I am also greatly inspired by the objects that are discarded and forgotten, and it is this dichotomy that fuels my creative energy. My work is deeply process-based, which makes the research as important as the garments. I put great emphasis on manual labor and a physical approach to creating fashion, as I strongly believe that the sensitivity of working with your hands can never be replicated by technology. I hope to highlight the importance and inherent beauty of keeping and respecting the things we have and wear, because the signs of time and physical touch ‘carved’ into them are irreplaceable and irreproducible.”

“Much of my education was shaped by mentors generous enough to take the time to help me become the designer I am today. So, I feel like it’s now my turn to pass on the torch. Fashion is an industry in which you can learn a lot by doing, as opposed to just being in the classroom. I am always thrilled to work with students and emerging talent, especially having been there myself not too long ago; I know what these kids are capable of. When I was starting out, I mostly just needed someone to talk to, and that’s what I hope I can do for these young designers; be the person to reassure them that everything is going to be OK. With the world being so upside down right now, this support feels essential.”

“I was very lucky to have had a lot of guidance when I was starting out. I had mentors that I could go to for advice, so I was able to learn about the job in a very supportive way. Of course, fledgling designers need a lot of help financially – there are a lot of up-front costs – but I also think just having someone to talk to, feed off and have an open dialogue with is really important; having someone believe in you is invaluable. I know how difficult it can be to break into the fashion industry and make a mark, which is why working with and supporting new talent has always been a focus for me.”

“Fashion is always about what’s next, [so] nurturing upcoming talent ensures the sanctity of this new spirit. There are so many facets to this business that, as a designer and founder, one needs to be mindful of. In my experience, it’s truly a case of try, try and try again. There are myriad factors that play into the ambition to scale a fashion company. Without efficient guidance, the rollercoaster of ups and downs is sure to be extreme. Financial guidance and planning expertise is invaluable to any young designer, but, to be honest, I’m not sure I’d have been ready to hear it when I was starting out. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been way too scared to go down this path. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart.”

“The industry is full of talented, creative minds that deserve the space to explore their voices. There are so many amazing designers from non-privileged backgrounds or without family funding that have limitless vision, and it would behove the industry to support them to keep moving forward. I understand both the exciting and challenging parts of being a young designer in this industry; I’d like to advocate for what these folks might need in terms of support for their businesses. I wish when I was starting out, I had understood that everyone has a different trajectory. Just keep your head down and do the work – you can make anything happen if you really love what you do and have a strong vision.”