New scholarships at the Royal College of Art (RCA), funded by Max Mara, will offer students who face financial hardship the opportunity to enrol on the MA Fashion programme in the School of Design.
The scholarships, totalling £30,000 per person, include full tuition fees as well as a contribution towards maintenance and materials.
The scholarships will be open from the next academic year, starting in September 2023, and will be offered to two students annually over the next three years.
Max Mara, the Italian ready-to-wear label with a signature minimal aesthetic, looks to cultivate the next generation of visionary designers at the RCA by eliminating financial obstacles so that they can fulfil their creative potential. Alongside the educational funding, there is also an opportunity for the students to benefit from international industry experience through a paid design internship at the Max Mara headquarters in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
The students will learn from the rich culture and heritage of the brand and elevate their skillset with first-hand experience working in a high-end fashion studio.
This initiative is close to the heart of the Creative Director of Max Mara, Ian Griffiths, who holds long-standing ties with the Royal College of Art having graduated with an MA in Fashion Design in 1987. One of his first projects at the College was a competition organised by Max Mara, which inspired his move to join the brand as a designer upon graduation. The RCA is proud to announce that Ian Griffiths has been appointed as an Honorary Visiting Professor to share his industry expertise
with the College’s emerging fashion designers.
Ian Griffiths, the Creative Director of Max Mara said: “At a critical time for the fashion industry, Max Mara is proud to support the RCA and its students in exploring new processes, methods and models.
The designers at the RCA are redesigning fashion, rediscovering the joy of fashion and identifying fashion as an instinctive human activity. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to accompany them on their journey.”
Zowie Broach, Head of Programme, MA Fashion at the RCA said: “Ian holds a deep passion about identity, culture and fashion. His support with the Max Mara Scholarships shows great leadership and care for the future of study in and about fashion at the RCA, welcoming a wider representation, a community of voices to build new identities and cultures.”
As part of its commitment to making postgraduate study open to people from all backgrounds, RCA is increasing the number of scholarships available to students experiencing financial hardship. For this academic year, more than 180 scholarships, awards and prizes are available to RCA students.
