Clara Amfo introduces the nine young handpicked brand owners, and they are each assigned a studio to work in at the Drop Hub in Manchester. R&B star and head judge Miguel welcomes his wingmen, streetwear legends Blondey and Marc Jacques Burton, alongside this week’s guest judge JME. The nine creatives are challenged to design a new garment that tells their brand story and to create an eye-catching display ready for the very first public Drop. Streetwear fans help Miguel decide which eight brands continue and who has to leave the competition and close the shutters on their studio for the last time.
The eight creatives return to The Drop Hub to continue the battle for the exclusive contract with a fashion mega-retailer. In their first business-based challenge, they team up to create a marketing stunt for two local start-ups. One team is confident from the start, but the other team of four can’t agree on anything. The pitch in front of the judges and business owners leads to a very unexpected outcome. Taking what they’ve learned from the first challenge, the contestants must now create a brand-new design as well as a ‘point of sale’ stunt for each of their own brands. The streetwear fans are ruthless as they assess everything from a customisable top, a festival-ready outfit complete with a matching tent and cool box, to week one winner Missy’s bid for a second triumph: a silk play suit with scented candles and a pillowcase bag.
Clara Amfo hosts as the seven remaining creatives hit the skate park to prove their brand can appeal to a variety of subcultures. Skate legend and brand owner Blondey is back to help Miguel decide which team create the perfect skate outfit for two well known skater guests. Blondey has invited them, so he doesn’t want the teams to let him down. But one team gets it very wrong and ends up making the skater feel like an Elf. In today’s individual challenge, it’s all about the kicks as the creatives must customise legendary trainers in the image of their own brands. There are tears and stress in the studios, but which creative will be closing the shutters on their studio today?
The remaining six creatives are determined their brand will win the contract with the fashion supergiant. Today they attempt to crack the streetwear skill of hyping up a brand to build a bigger customer base. In the first challenge, they team up to work with two of the internet’s biggest stars, gamer Dan TDM and football freestyler and comedy performer Jeremy Lynch, to see if they can harness the power of social media. In the second challenge, which sees the Drop Hub welcome pitbulls, a basketball court, a Ferris wheel and even a three-wheeled car, the creatives must apply what they've learned in their own hype stunts as they hold events to post on social media to bring fans to the Drop. Who will Miguel, Marc, guest judge Roman Kemp and the public rate in another intense public Drop, and who closes their shutters and leaves the competition for good?
The five creatives take on one of the most important parts of creating a global brand - the power of celebrity and collaboration. In teams they must design a red carpet-ready outfit for music star Mahalia. She loves one design, but the other, Miguel doesn’t even want to show her, as he calls out two creatives for not hitting the mark. Then the creatives are in for a big surprise as king of the collaboration judge Marc has an opportunity of a lifetime on offer. Which brand will join him on his next collaboration with one of the world’s biggest film franchises? The competition steps up as they all battle for this real-world opportunity, and the streetwear fans get their say alongside today’s special guest, Wretch 32.
Clara Amfo hosts the quarter-final as the remaining four get closer to the life-changing contract with a major retailer. However, two more challenges stand in their way. Miguel wants to see who has the nose for business and sends in his toughest negotiator, retail expert Nayna McIntosh, to grill the brand owners on the future of their brands. Each must prepare a five-year business plan. Miguel also wants to judge who has what it takes to ‘go global’, with a challenge that sees them design an upcycled vintage outfit for an international market in front of Pussycat Doll and eco-clothes warrior Kimberly Wyatt. Tensions run high, as no-one wants to close the shutters on their studio at this stage.
Clara Amfo hosts the semi-final as the three remaining creatives face their biggest drop yet. They design a brand-new item and have meetings with a factory owner to negotiate the best deal for mass production. Once the deals are done, they discover if their latest design will sell as the tills open for a real drop in the retailer that will soon stock the winner’s collection. With the clothes on the racks for a few short hours, it’s a close-run thing to see who really has what it takes to elevate their brand to the next level and win the competition. In a bid to bring in the customers, the creatives design an advert and also discover which one of their brands guest judge Headie One bought from.
It’s the final, and judges Miguel, Blondey and Marc decide which brand will win the life-changing opportunity to have their next collection exclusively stocked at a major retailer. The creatives put on a showcase including everything they have designed on the series. They frantically book models, arrange music, props, choreography, make-up and hair, as well as design a brand-defining final piece for their collection. The Drop Hub welcomes back some familiar faces for the showcases alongside the special guest judge, Asim Chaudhry. Miguel then announces who will become The Drops first ever winner.
