GFF X TikTok Residency Draws To A Close

The two-week GFF (Graduate Fashion Foundation) X TikTok Residency has drawn to a close at Fashion-Enter’s Tailoring Academy. The final day (17^th July) culminated with a visit from GFF Global Ambassador & Fashion Designer, Henry Holland and the GFF’s, President, Hilary Alexander OBE.

Held on-site at the Tailoring Academy, where 70 graduates have undergone essential production skills mentoring to enable them to make up their designs, each graduate introduced themselves and their designs to Henry, Hilary and the residency team.  

The Class of 2020 graduates selected from GFF member universities across the UK, learnt all about design for manufacturing, grading, commercial patterns, production lines and quality control from Fashion-Enter’s Production Director Caroline Ash and her team. As well as being mentored by leading industry designers, GFF patrons and TikTok Creators.

Fashion Designer Henry Holland was pleased that the residency provided a really useful set of tools that so many students coming out of university are often lacking. Fashion-Enter’s production director Caroline Ash gave Henry a tour of the Fashion Studio, Factory and the Academies and emphasised the importance of design students truly understanding the construction side of the industry.

Caroline commented: “A very rewarding and enjoyable Residency with GFF and TikTok. The feedback was amazing and the students were very lucky for the opportunity to get an insight into factory production. The designs looked stunning and I feel the graduates learnt a lot about construction methods.”

The residency invited the grads to create merchandise for TikTok inspired by their final year projects in line with TikTok’s branding and ethos. Henry commented to GFF: “I’m so blown away and impressed by what the graduates have achieved. They’ve done their own prints, they’ve made up to 10 garments, one girl made 25 bags and the tenacity and the drive of these young people is insane. I’m really impressed.”

Leah Holmes from Edinburgh College of Art told the GFF: “I learnt all about 3D CAD design and how to quickly change your patterns, as well as the industry and manufacturing, which is really good to know for the future if I ever start my own brand.”

Hilary Alexander OBE said: “It’s really inspiring and I’m so thrilled we’ve been able to bring TikTok and our graduates together in this amazing project. TikTok is fun, it’s about youth, dancing and being happy and all of those things have been reflected in the clothes, what’s not to like?”

Keep your eyes peeled, the graduate’s work will now be sent out to TikTok influencers and VIP clients. The project was declared a great success with thanks to the team from TikTok, Fashion-Enter and individuals from the GFF ensuring a brilliant unison of creativity and practical industry skills.

To view all the designs please click here.

Visit our FTA TikTok page here: @fashiontechnologyacademy