Ahead of Designers at Debenhams relaunch, retailer unveils key Graduate Fashion Week award

Debenhams has announced a new Designers at Debenhams Catwalk to Commercial Award at the current Graduate Fashion Week 2024. The winner will get a 12-month contract to design an exclusive collection.

The retailer long had strong named designer links through its popular Designers at Debenhams offer during its previous incarnation as a physical department store chain. And this is continuing under its online-only Boohoo Group ownership with a major relaunch planned for the label.

The relaunch kickoff initiative sees it partnering with the Graduate Fashion Foundation by offering this award for the first time. 

It said it’s “a significant milestone as Debenhams steps in as the catwalk hall partner, offering an exceptional opportunity for emerging fashion talent”. 

As mentioned, the Designers at Debenhams Catwalk to Commercial Award will offer a unique chance to gain valuable industry experience from a commercial perspective. 

The winning designer’s collection created in conjunction with the retailer is scheduled to go on sale in 2025 as part of the aforementioned wider Designers at Debenhams relaunch.

Debenhams said the relaunch “will honour the brand’s rich heritage while embracing contemporary collaborations and present-day muses. Since its inception in 1993, Designers at Debenhams has played a pivotal role in the careers of esteemed designers such as Julian MacDonald, Matthew Williamson, Henry Holland and more”.

And Graduate Fashion Week is an interesting choice for the company to kick off the relaunch process. It’s the world’s largest showcase of BA fashion talent and celebrates this with curated runway shows at Truman Brewery in London. The GFW Awards are at the heart of the shows’ activity, with 26 prizes across multiple disciplines from Photography and Communications to Textiles and Design. 

Debenhams has a long-standing history with the Graduate Fashion Foundation and to select the winner of the new award, its judges will join the daily catwalk judging panel attending, watching and reviewing all university students’ collections showcased across the four-day event. 

CEO Dan Finley said: “Supporting the next generation of talent is immensely important to us.”