The UK’s first clothing brand created by young ex-offenders opens at Westfield
// Inside Out launches a one-of-a-kind pop-up store, ‘Blank Canvas’, located in Westfield Stratford City
// The group received training and mentoring in areas such as screen printing and design, as well as sales and marketing
The UK’s first clothing range created, designed and hand produced by young ex-offenders, has opened a pop-up in Westfield Stratford City mixing fashion and employment workshops.
The new initiative is part of a prison rehabilitation programme created by social enterprise Inside Out and LinkedIn.
The group of young prison leavers aged between 18 and 27 years old are selling their new 13-piece clothing range in the store, which includes hoodies, hats, T-shirts, facemasks and bags.
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The ‘Blank Canvas’ pop-up, which will remain open until 28 April, is designed to give disadvantaged young people skills in business, fashion and retail, through a mix of classes led by LinkedIn, and by selling a clothing range designed by ex-offenders – the sales of which will support other similar projects.
The group, who have all struggled to find employment, received training and mentoring in areas including screen printing and design, as well as sales and marketing to help them further their wider career goals.
The project was originally created in response to new data that highlighted the challenges that people with criminal convictions face in finding work, showing only 44% would do so a year after their release.
Attendees can also get free professional headshots and one-to-one career advice from LinkedIn career coaches who will be available at the pop-up on the 19th, 21st and 26th April.
Those signing up to attend will also be shown how to set up a professional LinkedIn Profile and get tips on how to build their network.
VCCP London executive creative director Matt Lloyd said: “Support networks for young offenders are already few and far between, and the pandemic has sadly only added to that. For an ex-offender trying to build a new future, LinkedIn might not be the obvious place to start. But LinkedIn is unique in being able to offer the kind of learning, advice and connections that might otherwise seem a world away.
“This Inside Out project is a wonderful opportunity for these young ex-offenders to demonstrate what’s possible with a little mentoring, encouragement and belief. We hope it helps start something much bigger.”
LinkedIn head of brand marketing Zara Easton added: “LinkedIn is providing training and mentoring to help them build skills and find long-term employment opportunities as part of our wider ambition to create a more inclusive workforce for everyone. Together with the founders of Inside Out, we wanted to develop a campaign that brings to life their new beginnings, and shows how we can help create that opportunity through the power of connections.”
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