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Newsletter 11th March 2015
Dear All,
After celebrating inspirational ladies around the globe with International Women’s Day last Sunday 8th March we are now full swing into National Apprenticeship Week.
This year’s edition launched at the London Eye on Monday 9th March with the fundamental objective to increase awareness and take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships. As you all know our sister company Fashion Enter fully engages with training programmes and apprenticeship schemes and events have been running to coincide with the week.
Fashion Enter’s Apprentice of the Year 2015
Every year Fashion Enter presents a trophy to a well-deserved individual currently undertaking an apprenticeship with the company. For 2015 we are pleased to announce Sophie Reding as our Apprentice of the Year. Well done Sophie the FashionCapital & Fashion Enter team hopes that this marks the beginning of a successful fashion career.
Sophie ‘Apprentice of the Year’ centre with the Fashion Studio team.
Apprenticeship Post of the Week
Employer: Bravado Ltd
Job Title: Studio Assistant (Fashion)
Bravado Ltd is an independent Ladies wear manufacturing company that has been established since 1981. We proudly offer an extensive range, from fully tailored trousers, skirts, jackets, dresses to all Formal types of outerwear. Our customer base includes: Miss Selfridge, ASOS.com, Debenhams, JOY and Tesco Stores. Our annual turnover is circa £18m.
We produce approx. 200,000 garments per month, at factories in Vietnam, Romania and Bulgaria. All of our factories are ethically and technically audited for Arcadia Group, Debenhams, Tesco, ASOS.com and have full Sedex accreditation. This enables us to deliver fast reactive fashion garments through our European sites, and competitive priced planned production from Asia – at our partner factory – to any part of the world.
Our offices, showroom & design/technical studio is based in London, where we have over 45 staff.
To view the full details of this apprenticeship post please click here.
Factory Visit for Students from St Anne’s
To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week a special three-hour visit to the Factory for students in year 12 and 13 from St Anne’s in Enfield is taking place today. The students will gain an overview of the company, a tour of the Factory, Fashion Studio, Stitching Academy and the Fashion Technology Academy. As well as receive an insight into the Fashion & Textiles Apprenticeship programme with firsthand talks from two apprentices currently working at Marks & Spencer, along with representatives from ASOS.com and the Albion Knitting Company.
Educational Site Visits to The Factory
Over the last few weeks Fashion Enter has welcomed cohorts of students from Graveney School in Wandsworth, Manchester Metropolitan University, St Anne’s in Enfield and the University of Creative Arts Epsom to The Factory for an insightful tour of the garment life cycle.
Each visit provides an overview of Fashion Enter and FashionCapital.co.uk, a tour of The Factory reviewing the manufacturing process from the initial idea right through to production, a tour of the Fashion Studio, Stitching Academy and the Fashion Technology Academy. In an interactive discussion students are also asked why The Factory is fully compliant and then taken through each procedure.
Here are a few comments from recent attendees…
“I just wanted to say a big thank you for accommodating us, the students found it really insightful and it really contextualised the lectures they have previously had. We have had some wonderful feedback from them today so thank you for taking the time to give them such an in-depth overview of the production process.” Ayshen Ali, Lecturer, Fashion Management and Marketing, UCA Epson
“Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. I have been able to see the process first hand rather than reading about it in a book.” Chloe, UCA
“The value of being a social enterprise and ethically aware factory, keep waving the flag for British production. Feel very well informed, thank you.” Madeline, UCA
If you are an educational establishment and would like to arrange a site visit to Fashion Enter, please check out full information here or contact info@fashioncapital.co.uk
You can check out past site-visits held at Fashion Enter here
Save the Date
It official the Fashion Technology Academy (FTA) a collaboration with Fashion Enter Ltd – sister company to FashionCapital.co.uk, ASOS.com and Haringey Council will officially open its doors on Thursday 26th March. The FTA is an extension of the successful Stitching Academy, which now includes new qualifications that incorporates pattern making, fabric inspection, laying and cutting, quality control, machine maintenance and stitching. The Academy will teach and provide much needed skills and qualifications currently sought by growing manufacturing units in the UK.
Work currently underway at the neighbouring FTA unit.
A Great Turnout at The Knitting & Stitching Show
Last week we took part in the 4-day Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia, London.Taking two stands the show was a great success. We were able to sell fabrics and trimmings to the public as well as inspire budding designers and dressmakers with an exhibition of the garment life cycle. The response was phenomenal with many visitors keen on taking a course with Fashion Enter in stitching, pattern making and alterations.
The next London edition of the Knitting & Stitching Show will take place – 3rd – 6th March 2016.
Fabric & Sample Sale
Another date for your diary, we will be holding a Fabric & Sample Sale at our factory in North London. On Saturday 28th March come along to view and buy rolls of discounted fabrics alongside clothing samples.
From 1pm until 5pm Saturday 28th March at The Factory,
Unit 14, Crusader Estate,
167 Hermitage Road,
London N4 1LZ.
Nearest tube: Manor House
Introducing…Stuart Cass
In Stuart’s own words:
“I am a London based visionary sourcing and production specialist with nearly two decades of experience with leading brands in the fashion industry, and a career of increasing seniority with globally renowned British fashion label, All Saint
“At age 25 I ended my career in the City of London to pursue a career in fashion. I found work on Savile Row, a street in London’s Mayfair district famous for offering bespoke men’s suits. I worked with the tailor Ozwald Boateng, managing bespoke appointments and shop floor sales. In 1997 I moved to Covent Garden to work for Stuart Malloy at Jones. At that time Jones had the reputation of being one of the best stores in the world for brand shopping. Jones specialised in handpicking the best pieces from the world’s top designers such as Martin Margiela, Raf Simons and Dries Van Noten. Malloy was an original whose advice and guidance would serve me well in my future career
“In 2005 I was approached by All Saints just as it was being geared for organic growth. I was part of the production team and had oversight for end-to-end product management and manufacturing in Indonesia, Turkey and China. In 2010 I was promoted to COO All Saints Portugal and moved to Porto to run the All Saints Portuguese sourcing business, to protect and enhance the brand’s best interests in the Portuguese market. Over 3 years I increased the volume of the Portuguese operation by fostering an attractive, structured culture of inclusivity that secured buy-in from the group-wide creative teams. In 2012 I returned to London and was named Director of Souring & Production, Europe to oversee production and operations in the UK, Portugal, Turkey, Italy and Spain. My interest and desire to support ‘Made in Britain’ manufacturing led me to Jenny Holloway and her team at Fashion Capital. It was impossible not to be impressed. From the fast track production for retailers and designers to the apprenticeships and industry support for new business start-ups.
 “After leaving All Saints earlier this year, I caught up with Jenny at the first Meet the Manufacturer event, which was held at The Old Truman Brewery, London. Our conversation developed and Jenny asked me “Have you ever thought about teaching?” I said no but liked the idea of passing on all the industry knowledge I had gained. I am delighted this idea moved forward and I held my first master-class on ‘Outsourcing costs in manufacturing’ on the 16th October 2014.
(Stuart left with Wendy and Level 4 apprentices.)
“Cost, quality and lead time has always been a puzzle for fashion brands outsourcing from parts around the globe. It is difficult to label any one factor as the prime factor for sourcing. Sourcing is a complicated process and cost, quality and lead-time are all important aspects: unquestionably reliant on the product and demand. The importance is based on the nature of product, the requirement of the company, and the target customer. My master-class will enable the students to deal with the complexities of determining and analysing the costs involved in outsourcing and to understand the links with other business functions.
I am very excited to be working with Jenny and the team at Fashion Capital, for all they are doing to support the British fashion industry.”
On FashionCapital.co.uk This Week…
We’ve joined the fashion pack on the last leg of the International catwalk circuit in Paris. Taking in all the show action our very own Zoe Barrow is live and direct – absorbing all the style details that will no doubt influence the rest of the industry over the months to come. From model to millionaire mogul – Michelle Mone reveals her highs and lows of her life and career as the CEO of MJM International Ltd, which owns the Ultimo lingerie brand. And the latest High-end & Designer Manufacturing Report compiled by The British Fashion Council, UK Fashion and Textiles Association, Creative Skillset and Marks & Spencer suggests a 65% increase in demand for UK made high-end product over the next five years. Founder of Goose Design and Apparel branding expert Jenni Arksey shares 5 key reasons into why and how to prevent your brand from losing sales.
Boutique Pick of the Week
All about my Mother, with Mothering Sunday in mind this weekend we have picked out ‘Bloom Boutique’s’ Katia silver and thread bracelet. Made of reinforced cotton strands onto which are threaded polished decorative tubes, knotted to a solid compact silver clasp. This statement design can also be personalised with beautiful hand stamped sterling silver letter and number charms, to make it that extra bit special.
Bloom Boutique Katia bracelet £46- available online at NotOnTheHighStreet.com
And Finally…
We welcome new Pattern Cutter – Sharon Drury (pictured right) and Chris Brennan – Quality Assurance Manager (pictured below) to the team.
Until next time, have a great week,
All the team at Fashion Capital x
      
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