New Website New Courses New Vision
10-03-2021
Newsletter 10th March 2021
Now Live The B of London Website
Our in-house label B of London has carved out a niche in the dress market, from day dresses to drop dead gorgeous prom frocks, and due to popular demand we have now launched a dedicated B of London website.
Designed and made in the UK our factories practice slow fashion, which means each order is individually cut and made for each customer. And that’s not all, those that buy from the B of London collections can be assured that each garment has been made in our SMETA and Fast Forward audited factories, using 100% end of roll fabric. Additionally we offer an upcycling service to give those special occasion dresses the chance to be re-worn and shine.
Please check out our new B of London website here: https://theboflondon.com/
Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference 2021
With sustainability becoming a mainstream and fundamental foundation for all fashion businesses the topic has never been so vital. This morning Drapers kicked off their two-day Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference involving speakers from a broad range of fashion and retail businesses. Tomorrow, Thursday 11th March, our CEO Jenny Holloway will join the event to discuss the issues of sustainability in fashion today. To find out more and join this event tap here.
Factory Tour Success
Production Director Caroline Ash has been busy delivering our popular Factory Tours albeit in a virtual capacity. We have had the likes of Ravesnbourne, City and Islington College, Fashion Retail Academy, Brighton University Regents University and the London College of Fashion all attend our virtual factory tour to gain deeper insight and understanding of how the fashion industry works. The feedback has been excellent and with lockdown easing soon we are looking forward to welcoming more students and industry professionals into our factory.
Emma, University Lecturer, Ravesbourne said: “This was an excellent session, which kept all 50+ students engaged for the full two hours! Thank you. Hearing how you justify your thought processes in terms of negotiating with clients. Great info on costs – direct and overheads – and how you can ‘cheapen’ a garment to lower manufacturing costs. Great to see an overview of Optitex too as the students are being introduced to Clo3D which is similar.”
To find out more about our Factory tours tap here.
Coming Soon – Affordable Workspace for North London Creatives
Here at FashionCapital we are working hard behind the scenes in preparation for the next phase within our business support services for creative brands and emerging designers. We are delighted to be working alongside Islington Council to bring a unique Affordable Workspace to the borough, which will operate alongside the existing FC Designer Collective shop based on Fonthill Road. Watch this space!
HSBC Support for Small and Medium Businesses
HSBC UK has today, 10th March, launched a £2 billion fund for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in London part of a broader £15 billion lending fund to support SMEs across the UK, as part of its commitment to help British businesses innovate and grow as the country looks to rebound from the Covid-19 health crisis.
Arjan Van Den Berkmortel, HSBC UK’s Regional Business Banking Director for London, said: “We are committed to supporting businesses in London and we know they are adapting at pace and looking at what comes next. We recently supported London-headquartered fashion social enterprise, Fashion-Enter, to help safeguard and protect 77 jobs during their expansion programme which included a new factory in Newtown, Wales, with the backing of the SME fund.
“This fund is all about helping businesses to take new opportunities and grow and we want to reassure them that we’re here to support them achieve their goals.”
Fashion-Enter Production Director, Caroline Ash commented: “We were grateful for HSBC to support us during this difficult time. Opening a new factory to safeguard 77 jobs in Newtown was a bold decision but one that was right to safeguard jobs in our sector.”
US Interview with Jenni Sutton
Taking place next Monday, founder of Sew Bromo Stacy Stube will be interviewing Development Director Jenni Sutton as part of their Fashion Incubation segment. Sew Bromo have recently taken over an abandoned garment factory in the US and have converted it into a fashion factory school. Stacy wants to learn about what other incubators and schools are doing around the world and thoughts on the next steps in making a positive impact through fashion.
In the Press
This week news of our Leicester Fashion Academy securing additional funding from etailer I Saw It First has made it on to Just-Style.com
Did You Support #madeinukday
Yesterday, 9th March, the Make It British team celebrated their 10th anniversary with the first-ever ‘Made in UK Day.’ The #madeinukday hashtag was plastered all over social media as businesses and consumers pledged to buy and support British made products. A big shout out to Make It British founder Kate Hills, her drive and enthusiasm to support British makers and manufacturers is infectious. We will be hosting a masterclass with Kate this April, date tbc, where she will be talking about why making in the UK is so important.
A Big Thank You
We would like to say a big thank-you to Royal Free London NHS Trust for the 10,000 unit Isolation Gowns contract along with 2,000 scrubs. It is brilliant to be doing our bit for PPE right here in the UK.
A Warm Welcome to Amy
We are pleased to have Amy Walczak-Hobbs joining the Factory floor team. Amy comments: “I did my Level 3 apprenticeship with Fashion-Enter so I feel as though I know Fashion-Enter well already. During my apprenticeship I won an award with Waltham Forest College for being an outstanding apprentice and my dedication to my studies, which was quite an honour as there were a lot of apprentices then. Being on the factory floor means that every day is different and challenging so I am looking forward to working with Elle our Senior Garment Tech at Fashion-Enter and really developing my skills further.”
N17 Creative Callings is Back!
During lockdown it has been near on impossible to deliver our Masterclasses for creatives on N17 Creative Callings business support programme. It’s hard to use industrial sewing machines virtually!
However, we are delighted to announce our new spring and summer program of courses is being finalised as we speak. These seminars are hard hitting and a must for all business owners; they are free if you are on the N17 Creative Callings program (post codes apply) and £10 for a three-hour seminar if you want to join in independently. The sessions are loaded with information and advice to make your business succeed in these new Covid times.
To find out about the N17 Creative Callings programme visit: http://n17creativecallings.com/
Starting Next Week – Workers’ Rights and Labour Exploitation
Commencing from the 15th March the FTA team are starting a new Level 1 course in Workers’ Rights and Labour Exploitation. Students will be given a crash course in understanding their rights in the workplace, covering everything from how to apply for jobs safely to the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay and reading payslips. They will also be taught how to identify the main signs of modern slavery and labour exploitation, and the ways they can report concerns to the GLAA and law enforcement. Fashion-Enter is partnering with SEG to deliver this qualification. For further information on this course please contact esme@fashion-enter.com
Masterclasses & Courses
Zoom Session for Students Writing Dissertations on UK Manufacturing (free – online)
Gerber AccuMark 3-day Course for Beginners
Sustainable Fabric Sourcing with Mark Dodds (online)
Fabric Swatch of the Week
We are holding a Special Offer discount weekend to celebrate our brilliant mum’s and the women that support us! We are offering 20% off throughout the entire site for one weekend only! Use code 20%OFF to shop now! https://fcfabricstudio.com/
This Week on FashionCapital.co.uk
What Can the Retail Industry Do To Reduce Unemployment?
And Finally…
Fashion students, last chance to sign up for our free dissertation support masterclass, 16th March. If you are writing your dissertation on UK fashion production then this will provide the vital insight that you’ll need! Tap here to find out more.
