Calling all final year fashion gradate students! We are thrilled to announce we're continuing our partnership with Graduate Fashion Foundation to help young, up and coming fashion designers showcase their talent.

We first partnered with Graduate Fashion Foundation last year and once again we're looking for fashion students to enter the competition for the chance to design our TikTok 2021 range of brand merchandise.

Fashionable, ethical and distinctly TikTok

Fashion students from 38 GFF member universities in the UK who are graduating in June 2021 can apply by entering their ideas to design and produce a new season range of TikTok merchandise that is fashionable, ethical and distinctly TikTok.

All entries are set to be judged by an expert panel of industry judges including TikTok’s Cassandra Russell, Fashion and Retail Brand Partnerships for EU and Charlotte Dodds, Marketing Lead for UKI & Nordics, plus Graduate Fashion Foundation Ambassador Henry Holland.

60 newly graduated designers from GFF UK member universities will be selected as winners to participate in one of two 5-day creative TikTok residencies, held within a professional factory environment in London this July. We'll provide accommodation wall participating graduates along with a competition prize of £500 each.

First-hand industry experience

The project will give new graduates the opportunity to access a practical industry experience and learn new skills in a professional workplace. Winners will learn about design for manufacturing, grading and realising designs into commercial patterns, professional production lines, quality control, CAD lessons and packaging.

The Residency will be everything you expect from TikTok – creative and inspiring with visits from TikTok Creators and educators too. Plus the selected emerging designers will be mentored by some of today’s leading designers and GFF ambassadors who will be stopping by the residencies each week to share advice and guidance on producing the best possible merchandise for TikTok.

By the end of each residency, the designers will have produced multiple garments of their selected winning design which will be gifted by TikTok to their Creator and VIP community. All students are encouraged to document their design process on the digital platform, with top content curated in on the TikTokxGFF hashtag and @OfficialGFW profile.

Ethical packaging competition

Additionally, Fashion Marketing, Communications, Promotions and Merchandising final year students will be given the opportunity to enter a parallel competition to design the ethical packaging for the boxing of the designs being produced during the residencies.

One lucky student will win the ‘Unboxing Competition’ and have their design professional produced including boxes, bags, tissue, swing tags and note cards, allowing the designers to personalise a message from them on their creation.

TikTok capsule collection

At the end of the residencies, we will once again create a commercial capsule collection, curated from the designs produced during the residency which will go into a professionally manufactured collection for gifting to staff, partners and consumers across Europe.

This commercial merchandise line will produce over 3000 items and allow the winners to see their designs come to life, whist enjoying an in-depth masterclass of professional manufacturing.

How to apply

The residency will run this July and will be in line with government recommendations at the time, as pertaining to Covid-19. The submissions for designs and moodboard entries close on Tuesday 18th May. The 60 design winners and the Unboxing winner will be announced on Friday 21st May 2021.

You can apply here.

Hilary Alexander OBE, President of Graduate Fashion Foundation said; “We are delighted that TikTok are continuing their partnership with the Foundation. They make an immensely positive contribution to graduating students, our charity and to the future of creative talent which could not be more vital during such a difficult year. This opportunity was a highlight in the graduate’s work experience in 2020 and we know the Class of 2021 will walk away from the residencies in a stronger position than ever before as they enter the job market. TikTok thrives off creativity and we are thrilled that our final year students can explore this creative journey with them.”

Cassandra Russell, Fashion, Luxury and Retail Brand partnerships Lead EMEA TikTok added: “Creativity and originality are at the very heart of TikTok, so we are thrilled to be partnering with the Graduate Fashion Foundation once again. Last year we were truly blown away by the raw talent and passion of these inspiring graduate designers, this year, graduates will not only be designing an exclusive TikTok capsule merchandise collection but creating ethical packaging too. This programme offers a unique opportunity to emerging fashion design talent to gain real expertise and knowledge, equipping them for longterm industry success. Supporting the UK creative industries is more important now than ever before so we cannot wait to see what the Class of 2021 bring!"