MENTORING PROGRAM
The LIGNES DE FUITE Mentoring Program is a one-year post-educational transition for designers moving from school into independent professional practice.
A structured program focused on concept, image, product development, and market entry.
The program unfolds over three consecutive modules. Each module builds toward a public-facing outcome and increased professional autonomy.
Period: September → December
Designers develop a coherent design language through research, experimentation, and early prototyping.
The objective is to establish a clear conceptual framework capable of supporting a long-term practice.
Public outcome:
CROSSFADE — design research exhibitionPeriod: January → May
Designers develop three editorial looks, presented at ON SHOW, alongside a focused image-making process.
This module establishes visibility, legibility, and professional positioning through editorial output and public presentation.
Public outcome:
ON SHOW — runwayPeriod: May → September
Designers translate selected work into viable products, defining pricing, production scope, and formats for circulation.
The objective is to move from presentation into real market conditions.
Public outcome:
SUPPLY — showroom and retail context
Participation in the Mentoring Program is structured around professional working conditions, clear entry criteria, and defined outcomes. The following sections clarify how designers work within the Studio, who the program is designed to support, and the concrete shifts in practice and positioning that result from participation.
The program operates within real working conditions. Participants have access to LDF’s shared studio infrastructure throughout the duration of the program via Open Studio hours.
This includes production and pattern-making space, technical equipment, and a shared working environment alongside designers in residence. Ongoing feedback and professional accountability are part of daily studio life.
Designers are expected to manage time, production, and decision-making autonomously. Guidance is provided, but the responsibility to operate rests with the designer.
This program is designed for emerging designers who have completed formal training or equivalent experience and are ready to operate beyond an academic framework.
Participants typically have a clear creative direction but lack professional structure, production continuity, or market positioning. The program is suited for designers prepared to work under real constraints and build toward an independent, sustainable practice.
It is not intended for beginners, hobbyists, or purely conceptual experimentation without execution.
By the end of the program, designers operate with increased professional autonomy and clarity.
Work moves from concept to realized production, practices become legible within the sector, and designers gain public visibility and market experience through structured platforms.
The objective is to establish the foundations of a micro-enterprise. The goal is independence, not long-term dependency on the Studio.
Excerpts from designers presenting their work and reflecting on their transition during ON SHOW.
Participation in the Mentoring Program is selective. Applications are reviewed based on readiness, clarity of intent, and alignment with the Studio’s working conditions.
Selected applicants will be invited for a conversation prior to confirmation.