Shein partners with FIDM on scholarship programme and design course

Fast fashion e-tailer Shein has announced a new partnership with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) which will see the duo launch a scholarship programme and design course for students.

Through the partnership, 12 students have been selected to each receive a 40,000 dollar scholarship provided by Shein, as well as the opportunity to take part in a new course where they will be tasked with creating a five to ten piece collection to be sold on the retailer’s platform.

In a release, George Chiao, US president of Shein, said: “As its name suggests, Shein X Project Launchpad aims to launch these students into successful careers in the fashion industry.

"By providing scholarships and access to Shein’s resources and customer network, we hope to remove some of the barriers aspiring designers typically face and provide these talented young people with the tools and support they need to help them achieve their dreams."

The design course includes two parts in a 20-week curriculum, with the first half focused on market research and design development and the second centred on fit and production.

Once collections are complete and sold via Shein, participants will each earn commissions while continuing to maintain ownership of their pieces.

Those chosen were selected based on their academic performance, portfolio, resume and short video submissions.