Awardees of Prada-backed Experimental Design Lab Attend Brand Show – WWD – Pen 18

Prada Program: In April, the Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab, along with artist Theaster Gates and the Prada Group, launched a three-year collaborative program at Shape to support designers in fashion, footwear, jewelry, culinary arts, visual and fine arts, as well as color. Inaugural award winners revealed. architecture and product design – and to enhance their work.

Gates and the award winners, who attended the Prada show on Sunday, were clearly excited about the occasion, posing together to capture the moment.

Gates said, “You know, the designers are between 25 and 53, so they’re a really broad group of professional designers and emerging designers, and it’s amazing to see them in the midst of one of the most important fashion moments of the year.” ” , “The first thing that really matters is Miuccia” [Prada] She believes in artists and she believes in great design.”

He said that his friendship with the designer made the project “really easy” to develop, close to his heart because it “gives other people the opportunity to have great artistic and design opportunities like I have. To Prada It has been one of the satisfying things of the last several years to see him step up the plate of diversity.” He characterized the project as “life-changing” for the designers, “closer to fulfilling their dreams.”

Before his premature death last November, 14 designers from around the world were chosen “for their extraordinary creative ability” by Miuccia Prada and the late designer Virgil Abloh.

Designers will receive financial support to further develop existing efforts or fund new and innovative projects, as well as access to a one-of-a-kind creative think tank designed to foster creative development. The Lab – a partnership between Thester Gates Studio, the design and construction arm of Dorchester Industries, as well as the arts and neighborhood transformation platform Reconstruction Foundation (also founded by Gates) and Prada – sits on Chicago’s South Side, and has annual activities in New York City. and will allow the Los Angeles Design Group to present their work to major organizations.

Originally published at Pen 18