Kitted for Culture: Support Young Designers in Hackney

Hi, I’m Lukman, a designer, football lover, and MA Visual Communication student at the Royal College of Art.

‘Kitted for Culture’ is a community-led project that brings together young people from Hackney to explore identity, fashion and football, right in the heart of Hackney Marshes — one of London’s most iconic grassroots football spaces.

I’ve been working closely with 25 under-12s from local grassroots teams, both boys and girls, supporting them in designing football kits inspired by their cultures, families and personal stories. Soon, these designs will be transformed into real kits. And in May, we’ll return to the pitch for something truly special: a fashion show, celebrating the young designers in the space they know best.

Your donation will go directly towards:

•⁠ ⁠Producing 50 high-quality football shirts (one for each young person to keep, with additional kits to be worn by professional models and to be featured in my graduation showcase)

•⁠ ⁠25 shorts for the young people

•⁠ ⁠Workshop materials

•⁠ ⁠Staging the fashion show

•⁠ ⁠Videography

•⁠ ⁠Printing a few publications that document the journey

Every contribution, big or small, helps bring this vision closer to reality.

The full journey, from first sketch to final stitch will be documented by a photographer and videographer, and brought together in an exhibition and a printed book that captures the spirit, creativity and community at the heart of the project.

At its core, Kitted for Culture is a celebration: of youth voices, of local talent, and of football as a canvas for self-expression and pride.

So far, I’ve poured everything I have into making this happen. I’ve reached out to sponsors, applied for funding, and followed every lead, but unfortunately, those routes haven’t worked out. That’s why I’m now turning to community support to help bring this project to life, at the scale these young people deserve.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and believing in the power of community, creativity and culture. Let’s make this happen together.