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Newsletter 8th October 2014
Dear all,
Exciting times, next week we will have the keys to our new Fashion Technology Academy located next door to our Factory in North London. While there is much to do before we officially open in January 2015 we are one step closer to providing this essential learning resource for the British fashion manufacturing sector. We will be offering a broad range of courses from – quality control, pressing, fabric laying, inspection and cutting to mechanical engineering, CPD Level 4, pattern cutting alongside the Stitching Academy.
To find out more and reserve a place please contact: education@fashioncapital.co.uk
FashionCapital.co.uk The Official Launch
We hope you have been enjoying our new and improved website. As you can imagine re-structuring a site that has been live since 2002 is quite an undertaking and the team are still busy tweaking and adding new and editing old content to ensure this resource offers a wide spectrum of useful fashion information. The new look site will officially launch with an invite only party on the 13th November for press and industry.
bethebest@natwest
The FashionCapital.co.uk launch party will coincide with our joint initiative with NatWest bank…
After mentoring sessions with a key panel of industry professional’s new FashionCapital.co.uk members/fledgling designers will be shortlisted to go forward with the bethebest@natwest initiative. The shortlisted designers will then make their Dragon’s Den style pitch to camera that will go live online. They will then need to actively promote their product and drum-up support and demand. After a month designers feedback to the panel on what they have achieved and from this they find out how much NatWest is prepared to loan them to take their business forward.
Throughout the process sister company Fashion Enter will be mentoring, sourcing fabrics, making samples and supplying production for the new members and updates will be announced regularly on FashionCapital.co.uk alongside social media networks.
Founder of ASOS.com Nick Robertson has also agreed to support the bethebest@natwest initiative and will consider buying collections from those that make it through the process.
To become a FashionCapital.co.uk member click here
Meet Our Mentors
We hear from some of our mentoring team on why their advice can be crucial to your growing business…
Nick Gould aka “the common sense lawyer with mismatched shoes!”
“Too many people think taking legal advice can be an expensive option. Assuming you get a common sense and commercially minded business lawyer, it really isn’t .The costs of not taking legal advice can be substantial. Example, you and a client enter into an “arrangement” relating to IP without any documents, but it goes wrong – who gets to keep the IP? Example, you negotiate a set of terms and conditions with a supplier but forget a key insurance clause and the goods get destroyed in transit -who is responsible? Legal advice at the start can save you £££ later on – really!”
Tanya Smith – Designer
“Starting a business is always a very daunting process. It is so important to get as much advice from as many people as possible. Finding out what hurdles other business owners have had to overcome and what issues they have experienced along the way prevents a new start up from making the same mistakes. The mentoring programme at FashionCapital.co.uk will give anyone wanting to set up a fashion business a huge advantage. With advice from legal representatives to marketing, right through to production/creative experts, the advice and support you will gain is invaluable! FashionCapital.co.uk helped me a lot in the setting up and running of my business and I am so excited to pass on my knowledge and help future entrepreneurs.”
Nigel Rust, Production – Finding and Managing Your Manufacturer
“The choice of where to have your designs made is a critical one. Your spec sheets and instructions are also key to successful manufacturing. And don’t forget to work out the full cost of each style. I am a specialist in manufacturing, including how to find the right manufacturer and how to control the whole production process. I am also able to advise on costings and budgeting.”
Click here to find out more about our full mentoring team.
To book a one-to-one mentoring session please contact memberships@fashioncapital.co.uk please note members receive a preferential rate.
Filming at The Factory
This week Vanilla Films http://www.vanillafilms.co.uk/ paid The Factory a visit alongside Coats http://www.coats.com/, one of the UK’s leading thread and yarn manufacturers to create a short movie during the heat of production, to see up close and personal how their threads are used during the production process.
The team transformed the meeting room into a Coats Showroom, displaying the range of colours and different thread types available as well as boards of inspiration into the designs of new and innovative types of thread.
The two days worth of filming will be compressed down to a 3-minute short film on Coats products and threads used during the production life-cycle. The footage will be used by Coats for internal training.
The finished footage will also be posted on FashionCapital.co.uk
Liberate Your Style Competition
 Calling all Designers! The Liberty Shopping Centre has a design competition for you…
Open to those aged 14+ and with a flair for fashion design, the Liberate Your Style competition aims to find those with a great understanding of quality of design, the strength of theme and design practicality. Combining these to create an innovative garment that is ready for sale.
The winner will see their design come to life, manufactured and showcased in The Liberty Catwalk show before going on to be stocked in-store at The Liberty Shopping Centre in Romford.
The lucky winner will also win a year’s free membership with FashionCapital.co.uk, offering full support and business mentoring to help create and establish their brand.
Entry Requirements:
Complete the online application form here with 500 words about yourself and why you chose to take part in the competition, explain the reason for your design and where your inspiration comes from.
Create a Pinterest moodboard of inspiration on concept to final design.
Closing date for applications is 19th October 2014, at 5pm.
http://www.theliberty.co.uk/
‘Outsourcing Costs in Manufacturing’ Seminar with Stuart Cass
 Held by highly experienced sourcing and production specialist Stuart Cass on Thursday 16th October. Here Stuart talks about his fashion career and introduces the seminar…
“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 Saints.
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 my first seminar on ‘Outsourcing Costs in Manufacturing’ will be on the 16th October 2014.
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 seminar 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 FashionCapital.co.uk, for all they are doing to support the British fashion industry.”
This informative seminar is open to members at £50 plus VAT, non-members at £75 plus VAT.
To find out more and to reserve a place please contact education@fashioncapital.co.uk
DISC Manufacturers Trade Show
DISC supports fashion manufacturers, designers and jewellers within all areas of the production processes. Through their programmes they deliver innovation in product, process and business models. Funded by European Regional Development Fund DISC work with London based, high-end fashion businesses.
With the rise in costs of manufacturing abroad, the benefits of making locally and the growth in the brand of British made, the DISC Manufacturers’ Trade Show offers businesses the opportunity to explore potential opportunities to have collections made in UK.
Come along and meet UK manufacturers, including Fashion Enter Ltd, who offer sampling, production and specialist skills to high-end fashion labels. Browse the array of exhibitors or book in one-to-one appointments with select manufacturers suitable for your business.
“I have worked in manufacturing for over 30 years and I have never been anywhere that tries so hard as the Factory at Fashion Enter to ensure our quality is top-end and as perfect as it can be. I am looking forward to meeting lots of designers at the event. We will be bringing with us, a cross section of garments we have made to show the high quality will can achieve.” Caroline Ash – Production Manager at Fashion Enter
Register for a free ticket here:
http://www.fashion-manufacturing.com/tradeshow/
Date: Wednesday 29th October 2013 10am – 5pm
Venue: BL-NK, 37 East Road, N1 6AZ (3 minute walk from Old Street Station)
On FashionCapital.co.uk This Week…
This week our trend guru Katie Farley reports from the latest SS15 shows in Paris. In news the industry welcomes back John Galliano as he takes over the creative reins at Maison Martin Margiela in Paris and Derby Textile Design student Sarah Briggs spends her summer internship producing sample swatches for Spinexpo, New York and Spinexpo, Shanghai.
Boutique Pick of the Week
The cold, dark and rather damp start to this week has set us up for some winter wardrobe buying. Spotted in Paris we’ve found these felt boots, a reinterpreted tribute to the classic felt boots worn by the elite feet of the 19th century Russian empire. Today the idea of winter boots made from 100% natural and sustainable materials is an ethos ZDAR adheres to and with these Maksim Button boots they have combined durable, breathable and not forgetting to mention highly insulating wool felt with hemp and rubber. Handmade from start to finish these boots will not only keep your toes toasty but can grip well on snow and ice.
To view more and buy online visit: http://zdarshoes.com
Until next time, have a great week,
All the team at Fashion Capital x
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