The fashion industry is adapting to change like never before. From embracing sustainability to championing innovation, the ever-evolving landscape presents challenges and opportunities for a new generation of creatives, who are often the ones making the shifts happen.

A multiyear project between performance luxury brand Canada Goose and the renowned art and design school Central Saint Martins is celebrating just that. The growing partnership is bringing the Central Saint Martins MA Fashion and MA Material Futures courses together to create ground-breaking materials and garments that are both sustainable and functional. To highlight the brand’s commitment to new talent, a previous project saw the launch of an immersive exhibition that shone a light on tomorrow’s fashion designers and creatives. Going forward, Canada Goose will also sponsor the college’s highly-anticipated MA Fashion Show during London Fashion Week this February 2024.

“This partnership represents a powerful opportunity to support upcoming talent and drive purposeful change from a grassroot level that has the potential to propel the entire industry forward,” explains Penny Brook, former Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Canada Goose.

Below, three Central Saint Martins 2023 graduates share their involvement in the collaboration through reimagining Canada Goose’s extreme weather outerwear. In line with the brand’s HUMANATURE purpose of keeping the planet cold while keeping its people warm, the students were invited to create a sustainably-led capsule collection inspired by scientists at Polar Bears International, a Polar bear conservation charity supported by Canada Goose.

Find out how the emerging names in design united style and sustainability with their practical, but forward-looking, creations, which you can see below.

Chie Kaya, 25, Central Saint Martins Womenswear Masters Graduate

“My designs were inspired by the functional side of the scientists” professional uniform, especially the Canada Goose Expedition Parka and archive pieces. With these in mind, I focused on a multi-purpose approach to increase the longevity of each item, while sourcing sustainable materials, such as regenerated nylon and jersey.

“I also wanted to celebrate and empower female scientists with these pieces. I created a skirt that could be worn in two different styles, a coat that could be worn as a dress. I altered the cut of the silhouette to emphasize femininity, so the designs looked less ‘puffy’, but still offered heat preservation and comfort.”

“Craftsmanship was key. The quilting technique that I used on the Goose Lady Expedition coat and skirt took me almost three days. The patterns and cuts of every item were very carefully engineered. They’re garments that I hope can be worn daily with a relaxed attitude but a desire to be elegant.”

Yaku Stapleton, 25, Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Graduate

“This project allowed me to balance my sculptural approach to design with maintaining functionality in the harshest weather conditions. Most of the visual inspiration came from snow formations I saw on a walk in Russia many years ago, but I was also influenced by polar bear skulls and the works of Charles James and Louis Bourgeois.”

“Nature is a significant source of inspiration to me and I strive to keep it at the heart of my work. Most of my projects use waste as a material. In this one, the Canada Goose jacket and pants, like all my puffer pieces I’ve made so far, use discarded bedding as filling. It’s a way of giving new life to things that would otherwise end up in landfills and starting a conversation about planet conservation.”

“The sculptural base of my practice helps me to push boundaries as a designer. All my physical designs begin with plasticine moulded freeform or onto dolls, allowing me to establish the shape. I also base a lot of my work on “characters”. My fabric choice and development let me bring them to life, using waste fabric, objects and rubbish that I come across.”

Arianna Ablondi Pedretti, 26, Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Graduate

“I was focused on promoting comfort and self-confidence with my designs, despite all the necessary layers. Clothing is quite powerful in this sense, because it can facilitate or constrain people from doing certain things with their bodies. I created pockets for everything, even for lipsticks.”

“I started my fashion career in an era where the conversations about climate change were already extremely urgent. I have always focused on upcycling, using leftover materials, finding deadstock fabrics and making the most out of very little. At Saint Martins, we were really encouraged to think this way. The less we had, the more creative we could be.”

“This project with Canada Goose really freed my creative process. I’ve always wanted to explore the more technical, performative side of clothing, so it was really a dream come true for me.”

The capsule collections featured in this article is available to view as a micro exhibition at the Canada Goose London Regent Street store. Find out more about Canada Goose’s partnerships with Central Saint Martins and the brand’s commitment to sustainability at canadagoose.com