London is full of brilliant product ideas and fashion concepts waiting to become reality, but the vast majority never do. Atelier100 exists to ensure that the best don’t get left behind. 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.
“We believe in testing and trying. Last year the Atelier100 pilot programme brought some of London’s finest up-and-coming creative minds together to push the boundaries on what local manufacturing can be. We look forward to working with the strong Atelier100 community to bring even more local products to the store in 2023.”
– Marcus Engman, Creative Director at Ingka Group (IKEA Retail)
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. They might be aspiring makers on the cusp of their careers, established designers looking to try their hands at something new, or even manufacturing professionals with an idea they’re keen to see realised – the only requirement is that you’re over 18, live and work in London, have some experience of bringing a physical product into being (even if it is in a different field), and can get a batch of your proposed product made within four months.
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. Last year’s pieces, for example, ranged from 3D-printed doorstops and London-brick candleholders to a deadstock knitwear collection and a laser-cut capsule wardrobe.
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. Selected applicants will be notified in May, and will have four months to plan, prototype and produce their design in time for launch in autumn 2023.
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.
Atelier100 Collection02 will go on sale in the Atelier100 concept store in Livat Hammersmith, and online at atelier100.com in autumn 2023.
From concept to community
The Atelier100 concept was born of a collaboration between two leading Swedish retail brands: H&M and Ingka Group (the largest IKEA franchisee), built on their shared goal to find and nurture emerging local creative talent.
“I was very impressed by the calibre of last year’s participants – their creativity and unique ways of bringing brilliant ideas to life. It is exciting to be going on this journey again, and I’m curious to see what kinds of ideas and products will come out of the Atelier100 class of 2023.”
– Camilla Henriksson, Global Brand Innovation Manager at H&M
Recognising the benefits of working with creatives who represent diverse skill sets, life experiences and cultural reference points, the two brands came together to develop a programme that could help emerging talent build their businesses, develop sustainable hyperlocal supply chains, and bring innovative, commercially optimised products to market.
