Atelier100

Details

Atelier100 announces 2023 open call Second edition of hothouse programme offers ‘creative bridge’ to London’s ambitious designers and makers.

Driven by a collective of creatives, creatives, manufacturers and design-industry experts, Atelier100 is a creative-incubation programme, community platform and concept store established to bring the focus back towards the merits of local design and local production.

Returning after a triumphant pilot last year, the Atelier100 programme has been set up to give designers and makers the resources, guidance and practical support they need to bring their vision to life – bridging the gap between creative concept and retail reality.

Last year, 13 creatives spanning multiple disciplines benefitted from the programme, receiving funding, manufacturing support, mentoring from industry experts, and on- and offline retail platforms for their products. The call is now open for the next cohort.

How to apply
From 20 March 2023, any London-based product or fashion designer with an idea they want to bring to manufacture is invited to apply to be part of Atelier100 2023.

The product can be something for the home or an item of fashion; the only restrictions are that it has to be an original design, capable of being made locally for less than £150 per unit, and is small and lightweight enough to be carried on public transport.

Eligible applications will be put to a panel of product experts who will assess product ideas on the basis of six criteria: local relevance, affordability, appeal, newness, feasibility, and sustainability.

Why take part?
Atelier100 will cover each creative’s material and manufacturing costs (from £1,000 to £10,000), provide expert commercial guidance from industry experts, offer insights from successful makers, and arrange a programme of visits to workshops, factories, and studios across the capital to help build production networks and deepen participants’ understanding of London’s manufacturing capability.

The end result will be both a brilliantly diverse collection of fashion and homeware, and a close-knit community of ambitious creatives armed with the expertise, connections and commercial understanding to design and market their innovative products via local production networks.