Our talent mentorship program for emerging designers, Generation Next, is back! Teen Vogue has partnered with the LEGO® brand to support the elevation of young designers and demystify the evolving industry of fashion. This year, hundreds of contestants submitted their samples, sketches, and ideas to a board of esteemed judges selected by Teen Vogue editors. Our panel includes the designer and founder of Head of State, Taofeek Abijako; Kith’s Chief of Impact, Sharifa Murdock; world-renowned Creative Consultant, Shibon Kennedy; the CEO of Depop, Maria Raga; the designer and founder of abacaxi, Sheena Sood, who is also a past Generation Next finalist from our class of 2020; and the founder of Slow Factory, Céline Semaan-Vernon. This talented group will also serve as mentors to the 2022 Generation Next finalists. With the support of Teen Vogue’s style team and Editor-in-Chief Versha Sharma, the judges handpicked six emerging fashion designers who make it safe to say that the future of fashion is in good hands.
Each finalist has a unique plan to push fashion forward. As a part of the Gen Next initiative, all six designers will showcase their art in Los Angeles on November 12th at this year’s Teen Vogue Summit amongst industry insiders, influencers, and celebs to foster new relationships and networking opportunities.
A note from our Editor-in-Chief, Versha Sharma: “After a year-long break, we are so excited to bring back Teen Vogue’s mentorship program for young emerging designers. The finalists this year are all passionate about sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation in design, which are all values that we prioritize and try to amplify in the industry as much as possible. We’re incredibly proud of this year’s diverse class and look forward to working with them and ideally providing the resources they need to succeed. I want to say a major, major thank you to our wonderful group of judges, and our Executive Editor Dani Kwateng and Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor Karissa Mitchell, who spearheaded our program this year.”
From sustainability to inclusivity, these six finalists are dedicated to creating new classics and changing the narrative through design. Ultimately, our mission each year is to champion the voices of up-and-coming designers, encourage and empower the genius we recognize in each contestant. Teen Vogue and the LEGO® brand are pleased to announce the Generation Next Class of 2022!
