Mr Porter launches menswear designer mentorship programme

Menswear e-tailer Mr Porter is on the hunt for three aspiring menswear designers to take part in a year-long design and business mentorship programme.

The goal of the programme, called Mr Porter Futures, is to “discover original voices, lift new talent and introduce them on a global stage”, and will be centred around Mr Porter’s 10th anniversary themes of craftsmanship, discovery, inclusivity and community.

The three designers - or design duos - will be chosen from an international pool through an initial anonymous application review process that aims to identify and nurture new design talent “from outside the fashion mainstream”.

From September 2021, the designers will participate in a year-long programme of workshops and one-to-one coaching with industry mentors and Mr Porter’s in-house team of buyers, designers, and creative and marketing experts.

Participants will also design, develop and launch their own responsibly sourced and produced collections with the support of Mr Porter’s own-label Mr P team and consultancy Create Sustain.

The collections will be made globally available on Mr Porter at the end of the programme in September 2022.

The deadline for applicants is Sunday 6 June at 23.59 BST.

Mr Porter buying director Sam Kershaw said the programme was inspired by a desire to discover and develop new talent from the global community of over 180 countries Mr Porter serves.

“We have always been committed to championing a diverse mix of new and emerging designers throughout Mr Porter’s decade in business, but if this year has taught us anything, it is that we have the responsibility to use our global platform to give equal opportunities to all new aspiring menswear voices, no matter their experience or background,” Kershaw said in a release.

Mr Porter Futures will become an annual, ongoing programme.