South African delegation attracts London Press!

FashionCapital spent a week with the delegates providing them with a unique insight into London and its fashion industry. This exclusive overview was well received and attracted attention from the press.

The British Satellite Television filmed the delegates visiting the British Fashion and Textile Museum.

 

They were also covered by BBC online when visiting Croydon College click here to see the article

When spending the day in regeneration area Barking local press were also keen to cover the South African delegates experiencing what London has to offer.

The South African delegation enjoyed a full and productive day in Barking on Wednesday 21^st, when they were exposed not just to the successes associated with the various fashion initiatives locally, but also to the wider regeneration of the Town Centre and the Borough in general

In visiting the Malthouse on Abbey Road, the group was able to grasp the potential and ambition for clustered development of creative industries in the riverside development in and around former industrial buildings.

Each member of the visiting party was able to take away with them at least one opportunity for future collaboration, or was inspired to apply some of the learned lessons to their own activities in South Africa. Nothing was more uniting than the examples of working with young people in the borough's schools, and how a range of innovative projects opened up genuine career pathways in the creative and cultural industries.

Just one hour in Eastbury Comprehensive School inspired at least three independent collaborative ventures, all of which will be followed up in the very near future

‘This new link with the South African Education Fashion Industry provides our students with fabulous opportunities and great exposure to what is going on in fashion and with young people around the world.  The Pen Pal exchange in particular, gives them a new and varied level of interaction deepening their understanding of different cultures, lifestyles and global education.  I'm sure this project will be really exciting for them and we are looking forward to the great things that will develop in this partnership, from here on.' Bobbi Kumari – Head of Textiles at Eastbury School.

Now back home in South Africa the delegates are working hard on building the important contacts and projects initialised in the UK. It is very exciting to see such a unique collaboration form between two such different cultures. Watch this space for exciting updates on how the projects develop.

FashionCapital would like to thank Derek Levy Principal Regeneration Officer at Barking and Dagenham Regeneration for his time spent with the delegates.