Inspiring and developing. The Fashion Starter Summer Academy of Fashion Design has come to an end.
LPP, in partnership with the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, has organised the fourth edition of the Fashion Starter Summer Academy of Fashion Design. The project is designed to bring the clothing design process closer to the public, show the work of a designer from behind the scenes and encourage people to apply for jobs at LPP and to study at the Academy of Fine Arts.
LPP has been cooperating with art schools for years to show students the practice of how contemporary fashion is created. Together with the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, it has been running the project for four years now through summer workshops to introduce fashion lovers to the world of the profession. This task was completed during workshops by participants working with designers, clothing technologists, fashion buyers, stylists, HR experts and university lecturers.
– Today, LPP ranks as one of the fastest-growing fashion companies in Central Europe. We keep setting ambitious growth plans, not least doubling the number of our own chain of brick and mortar shops within three years. To see this development, we need to hire ever more professionals, including designers. These enhanced recruitment needs are accompanied by intensified partnership projects with art schools, including the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, which is our neighbour. We are very pleased that the joint project is taking place for the fourth time and continues to evolve to address the shared needs of both entities, but most importantly to offer participants comprehensive knowledge about learning and working in a creative industry such as fashion – says Sławomir Ronkowski, director of brand communication and social relations at LPP.
This year’s edition took place in late August and early September, both in LPP spaces and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. A total of 24 people, from high school students to beginners in the professionals, took part in the two-week course. Participants were divided into five groups and pursued their projects in line with a chosen theme from the field of art: baroque, cubism, impressionism, wabi-sabi and fauvism.
– The Summer Academy is a unique project, packed with creativity and diversity. I myself have had the pleasure of facilitating two workshops on graphic design and building creative concepts and presentations. Working with participants in this field served as a way to kick off the whole week with a sound artistic warm-up session, including designers learning about different digital tools and creating individual, experimental artwork. In this way, everyone had the opportunity to step into the shoes of the students at our university, at least for a moment, something that was certainly a valuable experience. The whole event served as an excellent space for the exchange of ideas, inspiration and networking where fashion and art meet – says Rafał Fedusio, lecturer at the Graphics Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk.
The project involved representatives from two LPP brands: Reserved and Sinsay, including designers, technologists, technical modelers and graphic designers. During the session, participants prepared moodboards and then designed and sewed silhouettes from second-hand materials. This process was facilitated by experts from the Gdańsk-based company and lecturers from the Academy of Fine Arts.
The Academy was represented by Agnieszka Kochańska, a costume, film and theatre set designer at the Academy of Fine Arts; Rafał Fedusio, who led the graphics workshop; and Magdalena Czajka-Cordosso, a photographer during the photo shoot with models, make-up artist and stylist. The workshop also included a visit to the LPP Distribution Centre in Pruszcz Gdański, where participants had the opportunity to observe the work of the photographic studio and take a tour around the warehouse space. To conclude the Academy, each group discussed their creative process using a multimedia presentation.
– This year’s edition reaffirmed our firm belief that these types of projects are hugely valuable, not only for a company like LPP, but also for the participants themselves. Working as a team on a project and being in contact with industry professionals helps to stimulate participants to show their flexibility and creativity. The programme of our Academy, combining workshops with the realities of the industry, is invaluable – says Julita Fojutowska-Hein, coordinator of the Fashion Starter project from LPP.
Another valuable element of the project consists of meetings with LPP’s HR team. Participants can learn about the recruitment process, consult their CVs and portfolio. In the project’s history to date, several individuals have already decided to pursue a career in the Gdańsk-based company. This year’s talks were led by Ewelina Lewandowska, Katarzyna Tenus and Kamil Tomczyk. Overall responsibility for the organisation of the event was shared by Aleksandra Paciorkiewicz, Karolina Kalinowska, Hanna Świętnicka, Magdalena Czajka-Cardosso and Rafał Fedusio from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, and Julita Fojutowska-Hein from LPP.
You can see the final product of the Fashion Starter Summer Academy of Fashion Design, i.e. the outfits designed by the participants, at an exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts Gdańsk (Targ Węglowy 6) from 11 to 25 October in the library vestibule.
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LPP is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central Europe. For 30 years, it has been successfully designing and selling the collections and accessories in Poland and abroad. LPP manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay, whose offer is available today in stationary and online stores in 40 markets worldwide. The company has a chain of nearly 2500 stores with the total area of over 2 million m2 and distributes the products to 3 continents every year. LPP also plays an important role as it provides employment to 43 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.