Save The Date: 24th & 25th April 2026!
19-11-2025
Newsletter 19th November 2025
Leicester Made is Back!
We are thrilled to announce the dates for the next Leicester Made and Friends event. Spread across two days – 24th & 25th April 2026, the event will not only showcase fashion and textile businesses from Leicester but will open out to those across the UK.
Leicester Made 2025 received phenomenal feedback and we want to build on this momentum. If you offer fashion / textile supply chain services or are a fashion brand / industry related business and would like to get involved please contact: beth@fashion-enter.com
More details will be released over the next few weeks.
FEL CEO Confirmed for Source Fashion
Source Fashion, Europe’s leading fashion sourcing show, returns to Olympia London from 13th – 15th January 2026 with a future-focused content programme designed to push the industry toward smarter, more ethical and commercially resilient practices. The agenda features an impressive roster of global experts and pioneering voices, and also includes our very own CEO Jenny Holloway. She will be discussing: “How Do We Build Back British Manufacturing?”, with Source Fashion’s Event Director Suzanne Ellingham.
Source Fashion takes place at Olympia London and registration is now open.
FTA at London School and College Leaver Festival 2025
On November 18th and 19th, the Fashion Technology Academy, in collaboration with UKFT, participated in The London School & College Leaver Festival at ExCeL London. The LSCL Fest is one of the UK’s premier event venues, hosting hundreds of events and welcoming over 4 million visitors annually.
Lan Leeder, Head of Education at FEL, took part in the two-day event, speaking with school and college leavers while promoting the short courses and apprenticeships at the Fashion Technology Academy. The young people also took part in draping a ½-scale mannequin, using off-cuts of fabric to create some interesting outfits.
Lan Leeder said: “This was a busy event with many exhibitors and activities, aimed at informing school leavers about their next step. Whether it’s going to university, doing an apprenticeship, or learning new skills, there is something for everyone. The FTA stand was very busy, with many young people having a go at designing and creating some amazing outfits!”
This Friday – Free 1-Hour Zoom Masterclass
Join FEL’s Technical and Production Director, Claire Solley, for a free, 1-hour masterclass on: The Secrets Behind Cost – Effective Sampling and Production for Aspiring Brands and Designers.
Starting at 10am via Zoom hear about the secrets on cost-effective sampling and production and gain knowledge with practical strategies to streamline processes and optimise resources.
The session will cover five comprehensive sections to equip fashion brands with valuable insights in sampling and production, ensuring efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
To join this free, 1-hour session click here to register. A Zoom link will be emailed closer to the date.
Courses Workshops and Masterclasses
Roll-on courses:
Available at all campuses Islington, Haringey and Leicester.
Diploma in Fashion Design and Business
Introduction to Draping:
29th November – 1-Day Introduction to Draping – FC Designer Workspace – £45 + eventbrite fee
Corset Making:
13th December – Saturday Introduction to Corset Making – FC Designer Workspace – £45 + eventbrite fee
Fabric Manipulation and Textile Embellishment:
21st November – 1-Day Fabric Manipulation and Textile Embellishment Workshop – FC Designer Workspace – £45 + eventbrite fee
Fashion Illustration:
22nd November – 1-Day Fashion Illustration for Beginners Saturday Class – FC Designer Workspace – £45 + eventbrite fee
Repair & Upcycling:
25th November – Free Repair and Upcycling Drop-In – FC Designer Collective shop – free
For all course enquiries contact: education@fashion-enter.com or call 0208 809 3311
This Week on FashionCapital…
Black Friday offers seem to be all around us, from inboxes and socials to TV ads – what used to be a day of discounts has somehow stretched across the autumn season. For huge global retailers, this is easy. They plan months in advance, build discounts into their margins, and use Black Friday to drive massive sales spikes. But for small businesses, already squeezed by rising costs, the pressure to join the price-slashing frenzy can feel overwhelming. Many small independent retailers are asking the same question: Do we join in, or do we step away?
Read more on this story: Black Friday Is Back – But Do We Need It?
And Finally…
A huge congratulations to all the 2025 Drapers nominees and winners announced at the gala event last week – 12th November. Boardman’s scooped the Fashion Supplier of the Year award, big congrats to them, it is fantastic to make the shortlist and gain positive recognition from industry peers.
FEL has additionally been shortlisted for the Franco-British Business Awards ‘Small Business of the Year’. Winners are due to be announced at a Gala Ceremony on 27th November. Fingers-crossed!
Until next time, have a great week.
From the Team at FashionCapital/Fashion-Enter Ltd
