Connecting aspiring creatives with leading industry figures like designer Molly Goddard, Gucci global makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver, stylist Julia Sarr-Jamois and photographer Nadine Ijewere – Mentoring Matters aims to bridge social and economic disparities in the industry. 

“If people don’t see themselves in every role, from entry level to the boardroom decision makers, then why would they feel like there was a space for them, or that they belong here?” adds Edwards.

Since launching in June, the mentorship program has incubated 50 mentees across seven different countries, connecting each aspiring creative directly to an industry expert for one-to-one video call sessions, offering unparalleled insights, advice and direction on their practice. “The fashion industry can be tough” Edwards says, “and it’s harder than ever to get that dream job, but I do feel like people really want to make changes. These vital contacts within the industry can really be the beginning of their network.” But despite the seemingly heightened attention towards diversity and inclusivity, Edwards believes the highly competitive industry is still not doing enough. “There are some great and incredibly inspiring people of colour in our industry, some of whom we are lucky to have on our panel” she says, “But there should still be a lot more, and the only reason there aren’t is because we haven’t opened up the doors enough”.

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Pictured here, some of the young creatives who took part in the Mentoring Matters project, founded by Laura Edwards: launched in June, the initiative featured fifty candidates from seven different countries.

Read the full interview in the December issue of Vogue Italia, on newsstands from December 4th