South African designer Rich Mnisi continues to win in the fashion game as he partners with French brand Smiley Originals.
Mnisi has been selected as one of the six designers to be part of the first-ever Smiley Future Positive Creators - Class of 2023.
“Following our 50th Anniversary year, and born out of Smiley Originals sustainability initiative, corresponding to our partnership with the United Nations to deliver UN-SDG Goal 12: responsible production and consumption.
“Smiley Originals launched the Smiley Future Positive Creators Fund® comprised of £500k (per year) monetary funding and a mentorship program to support game-changing designers to switch to a better, more responsible and circular ideology of design, sourcing and manufacture,” read a statement from Smiley.
Smiley Originals x RICH MNISI pic.twitter.com/9wGtn6tTi4
Mnisi of Rich Mnisi, Alicia Robinson of AGR Knit, Priya Ahluwalia of Ahluwalia, Chet Lo of Chet Lo, Kevin Germainer of Kevin Germainer and Shuting Qiu of Shuting Qiu are all part of the Smiley Future Creators Fund. They will receive a mentorship support scheme designed to empower and support them to build more consciously created collections.
Speaking of collections, the Rich Mnisi x Smiley capsule collection has been revealed, and it features the designer’s signature prints and the Smiley iconic logo.
Smiley Originals x RICH MNISI pic.twitter.com/yKyIwiuoNS
Key pieces from the collection include a pleated skirt, bomber jackets, a high-slit knitwear dress and a round-neck knit jersey.
Smiley Originals x RICH MNISI pic.twitter.com/HReerGRvDK
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Mnisi said: “The Importance of the Smiley Future Creators Fund is that you get to engage with an iconic brand that symbolises unity and happiness and general optimism. We get to engage with other fashion designers from all around the globe who have different stories and different ways of doing things.”
“ It’s so beautiful when we learn different techniques from each other because we are able to preserve them, especially in a world that’s always moving and things are always digitalised. I think it’s so important to then ground things and work in a sustainable way.”
The Smiley Future Positive Creators - Class of 2023 will showcase their work at global fashion weeks this season.