Kimonos & Canapés with Anaqaa Apparel at the FC Designer Collective

The FC Designer Collective was literally a hive of activity on Saturday (16th July 2022) with the highly successful in-store sales event for Majida Sayam founder of Anaqaa Apparel. It was also Majida’s birthday so it was fabulous to share the day with her. The Kimonos & Canapés event showcased new designs by ALAS by Anaqaa Apparel, as well as providing special event discounts, music and canapés.

Fashion-Enter’s retail shop the FC Designer Collective at 113-115, Fonthill Road, N4, is part of the affordable workspace program with Islington Council, LEAP and the GLA. In 2020 this £10m program, that will span a ten-year period, was launched with the aim of creating employment within the local area, creating a borough wide circular economy for fashion creatives and providing sustainability within fashion by the use of donated free fabrics, threads and components by Fashion-Enter Ltd to local designers. 

Fashion-Enter CEO Jenny Holloway commented: “This has probably been one of our most challenging programs due to the Covid issues which created lockdowns and uncertainty for all creatives. The shop was late to open too, again because of Covid restrictions, as was the workspace itself. 

“We have indeed helped many of the designers by creating a dedicated workspace, free masterclasses, reductions in prices on our services for areas such as; pattern making and production, but most of all we support on 22 social media platforms and we are always there to support the designers when they have events. 

“It was a real pleasure to be with Majida on Saturday and meet her trustees and the team she has created around her. Her products were all showcased and looked incredibly well made; they were garments of distinction. The address by Jeremy Corbyn, MP Islington North (pictured above in the centre with Majida), was particularly heartfelt too. This retail shop and designer workspace works – it’s about community moving forward and being as one.” 

Majida said: “It is so emotional, to be honest, to be here today. Thank-you to Mr Jeremy Corbyn to be with us today and thank-you to all our guests, all the friends and the team that supports us. Thank-you to our trustees, this has been a long journey to be in a shop, but nothing is impossible. It has taken 6-years to be in the shop and I started the whole journey back in 1984. I can now say that the journey is different and has become easier with more opportunities. Thank-you Fashion-Enter.”

Tap here to view the ALAS by Anaqaa Apparel collection or come along to FC Designer Collective, 113-115, Fonthill Road, London N4 3HH, close to Finsbury Park tube station, to view and try on the designs.