Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter join forces to relaunch Vanguard

YNAP’s luxury seasonal sites, Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter, have teamed up for the first time to expand Net-A-Porter’s mentorship programme, The Vanguard.

This means the comprehensive programme will offer designers more support for business development than before, with both acting as “champions and incubators for emerging talent”.

New this year, Vanguard “celebrates designers featured in Net Sustain by Net and Consciously Crafted by Mr Porter curated product selections that come with “elevated sustainability attributes.”

Which brands are taking centre stage this year? The three selected for the 2024 programme are Diotima and Liberowe, available at Net-A-Porter, and Kartik Research, available at Mr Porter.

Diotima launches an exclusive dress created by Caribbean-born, New York-based designer Rachel Scott. The design was launched in 2021 “to honor the artisanal techniques and processes of her home country. Handcrafted by a group of local Jamaican artisans, the brand’s signature crochet pieces are inspired by traditional doilies and come in a variety of patterns and textures.”

Liberowe, meanwhile, is launching an exclusive 18-piece collection that includes tailored jackets, peplum shirts, dresses and skirts. The luxury tailoring is made in London and is “infused with references to Indian menswear and 1960s and 1970s Paris.”

Kartik Research is another brand born in 2021. Founded by Kartik Kumra, it works closely with Indian artisans “to create garments inspired by local style. A celebration of cultural heritage, each garment is handcrafted in limited quantities using centuries-old artisanal techniques.” For the show, it is launching an exclusive nine-piece collection that includes a hand-woven suit along with jackets and shirts with hand-embroidered details.

The two e-tailers said that by choosing emerging brands already featured in these curations, this reflects their “ongoing commitment to supporting emerging designers who are committed to putting more responsible design at the heart of their work.”

Sustainability features

The trio of brands launched their exclusive capsules on web stores on Monday and they come with a host of sustainability features.

For example, for the first time under the program, they have digital identification technology built into the pieces, as well as access to styling advice and care and repair services.

E-tailers are also running targeted marketing campaigns to support the collections.

Another change is that the usual one-year personalized mentoring program will be extended to two years starting in October, further supporting the webshops' “long-term commitment to nurturing emerging talent.”

This means designers will have “personalised access to two mentors, assigned by a committee of global industry experts, along with tailored guidance from sustainability consultancy, Create Sustain” and ongoing guidance from the Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter teams on issues such as range planning, distribution strategy, marketing and social media.

This year's panel includes Alison Loehnis, interim CEO and president of the two sites; Greg Chait, founder and CEO of The Elder Statesman; Lynette Nylander, executive digital director of Harper's Bazaar US; Julie Ragolia, stylist and creative consultant; Sophia Li, journalist, climate advocate, and public speaker; and Claire Bergkamp, ​​CEO of Textile Exchange.

Kate Benson, buying director for both sites, said: “Each of the three designers has their own distinctive design DNA, demonstrating promise, a sense of purpose and a commitment to a more responsible future, making them the perfect cohort for this year’s programme.”

Education Fund

At the same time, online retailers said they have participated in the expansion of the Education Fund this time around. In its third year, the fund, which runs in partnership with the British Fashion Council, provides financial support and dedicated mentoring to senior students.

They receive a cash prize of £12,500 and global coverage across Porter and The Journal, while being paired with internal mentors from the two sites for 12 months.

This year's winners are Flora McFarlane from Glasgow School of Art, Hadisa Ahmad Tabussam from Manchester Metropolitan University, Matthew Empringham from Central Saint Martins and Shanel Edwards from the University of Westminster.