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Sustainability is Not A Trend!

09-12-2023   


FashionCapital Newsletter

Wednesday 30th January 2019
Dear all,

SilkFred & Belles

As January draws to a close we have some great news regarding our in-house label Belles of London. We are pleased to announce that SilkFred the online stockist of independent fashion will soon include Belles of London to its extensive list of brands. To find out more about SilkFred check out this recent
FashionCapital interview with the CEO Emma Watkinson.

Mountain Warehouse Apprentice Selected

After last week’s interview session with Mountain Warehouse Gabby Howell has been selected for the Garment Tech apprenticeship post.

Gabby said: “I was reading about being a fashion apprentice on FashionCapital and I had never heard of garment technology. So I started to research the job and I loved it. It involves knowing how to make a garment right with fabric and make up.  Making sure it fits correctly and where it’s made. 

“I applied for the Mountain Warehouse job and I researched all I could. The more I read about the company the more I wanted the job. It’s a family business and it has grown so much and doing very well with more store openings. The interview process was very thorough but that just makes you want the job more and more. 

 

“I am so happy I was the one picked for the job. I know the other two that went on to the final interview were also very good so I feel really lucky.  I am going to make garment technology my career with Mountain Warehouse and I will not let them down. I think more and more people of my age should think about apprenticeships because it’s the start of a real career and you can get qualified by going to college one day a week. Also want to say thank you to both Jenny’s at Fashion Enter as they were always there if I had a question. I can’t wait to start.”

Apprenticeship Post of the Week

Just in this week is an apprenticeship position with F&F at Tesco. The technical team are looking for a candidate that has an interest in pursuing a career in garment technology and would be keen to gain experience in working within a fast paced environment. The ideal candidate needs to be highly motivated and keen to achieve individual goals. To find out more and apply click here.

Single Parent & Womens Jobs Fair Finsbury Park 

Ana Cover from Fashion Enter  / FTA was on hand at the recent jobs fair held at Finsbury Park job centre. She said: “The staff at Finsbury Park Job Centre were very welcoming. The event was well organised and had quite a huge turnout. Many people were interested in our Stitching and Patterns courses and our apprenticeships. It was very nice to see many women trying to get back into work and seeking technical skills in garment manufacturing. Good luck to all the women who attended, I look forward to meeting them at our Fashion Technology Academy Open Day in February and I look forward to representing Fashion Enter again at the next event!”
Chris Stephenson, Department for Work & Pensions MICS Employer Adviser added: “First of all a big thank-you for attending our Jobs Fair. Our jobseekers and staff have asked me to say that it has been more than a pleasure having your jobs and career opportunities in Finsbury Park Jobcentre. Always a pleasure having you on site… I hope you are pleased with the interest you generated here on the 23rd. Please give me feedback or updates on future job starts with Fashion Enter.”

Fashion Technology Academy Open Day

On Wednesday 20th February 2019 from 2pm to 5pm we will be holding an open day. If you are interested in seeing what courses we provide including our popular Stitching and Patterns courses amongst others then please come along.
Fashion Technology Academy, Unit 13 / 14 Crusader Estate, 167, Hermitage Road, London N4 1LZ.

Welcome Lorna

We would like to welcome Lorna Tavares to the Fashion Enter / FashionCapital team. Lorna will be taking on the role of Development Manager whilst Jenni Sutton is away on maternity leave.

Judging at The Manufacturer Top 100

Jenny Holloway has been invited as a judge at The Manufacturer Top 100 annual event. The first judging meeting is due to take place on the 18 February and as in previous years, the meeting will be followed by the Digital Manufacturing Week Launch, which will take place at the House of Lords. Lord Bilimoria CBE DL will host an afternoon reception for the UK’s leading manufacturers, engineers, industry supporters and politicians for drinks and afternoon tea to celebrate the launch of Digital Manufacturing Week 2019.

Masterclasses & Courses Coming Soon…


Digital Pattern Grading with Vetigraph

The next two-day Digital Pattern Grading course with Vetigraph is due to take place at the Fashion Technology Academy on the 18th and 19th March from 10am – 4pm each day. The intensive course is ideal for either beginners or those with prior experience that need to build on their skills. Topics covered will include: Digitising trouser skirt & dress; Pattern adjustments; Fit amendments on software; Introducing grading; How to read a spec; Grade skirt, trouser & dress; Dummy grading & production grading; Costings & marker making and Extra patterns to grade.

To find out more and book click here.

  Getting to Grips with Intellectual Property

Also on the masterclass agenda we have ‘Getting to Grips with Intellectual Property’ with Rosie Burbidge. Rosie is an Intellectual Property Partner at Gunnercooke LLP and the author of European Fashion Law: A Practical Guide from Startup to Global Success. Rosie will guide masterclass attendees through the key intellectual property issues which the fashion industry faces on a day-to-day basis. She will also give her top tips on how to save costs and when you need to spend some money in order to invest in the future of your business.

We can also offer the one-day course ‘Essential Elements to Make your Pattern Production Ready’ with Maggie Stott. Production pattern making is often sidelined by the more glamorous sounding creative pattern making, but the reality is, the production pattern is the real star. Grading, marker making and manufacture cannot start without a production pattern, and the quality of its execution will set the standard for the whole factory process. Maggie is so knowledgeable, it’s a real privilege to be able to learn just a little of her skills! I’m really looking forward to learning more.” 

Della Nelson’s 3 Stage Brand Building 

interactive masterclasses:

Della’s first stage masterclass took place with a full house at FashionCapital HQ, the two-hour seminar delivered powerful insights into the first steps of setting up a brand. She will now be following this with two further sessions packed with essential information and advice.

Stage Two – Planning Your Range

Stage Three – Howto Sell Your Brand


How To Do Your Own PR

How to Do Your Own PR with Rosie Davies 21st February

PR can be a minefield when starting a new business, from influencers to press releases to gaining those all important industry contacts. On Thursday 21st February Rosie Davis, Founder of PR Dispatch & LFA, The Lifestyle and Fashion Agency, will host an exclusive masterclass How To Do Your Own PR.

Effective Trend Prediction for Your Brand 

Taking place on Thursday 7th March long established Fashion Forecaster Lester DC Pedersen, will reveal the process of developing trends from research through to finished product design.

The Masterclass will include: + A unique, behind-the-scenes look at the research and analysis that form fashion trends. + TRENDZOOM – presentation of the key colours and trends for Spring/Summer 2020. + Techniques to get the best out of forecasting and how to apply this information to your brand. + How to develop your own personal style of trend forecasting to keep your brand on track.

To find out more and book this masterclass click here.

Gerber Accumark Digital Pattern Making for Beginners 

We now have February dates for the next Gerber Accumark Digital Pattern Making for Beginners course. The three-day course takes place on Saturday’s from 10am – 3pm and knowledge gained in Gerber is considered a valuable asset by industry.

The February three-day course takes place on 2nd, 9th and 23rd February click here for more details.

TR Pattern Cutting Taster Masterclass 

TR pattern cutting means Transformational Reconstruction, this is a form of origami pattern cutting which translates into immediate and intuitive 3D creations, in opposition to the more conventional way of drafting. The next TR Pattern Cutting Taster Masterclass is due to take place on 16th Feb Click here for more details and to book.

Up and Coming Events and Projects

As a part of Fashion District initiative Fashion-Enter is currently developing the Tailoring Academy in Haringey (due to open this spring), alongside its existing Fashion Technology Academy. This and many other Fashion District projects will be revealed in a panel discussion at Pure London on Tuesday 12th February. www.purelondon.com

Members of the team will be at Fashions Finest during London Fashion Week on the 16th February 2019. Fashion Enter and the Fashion Technology Academy will be there to promote the support services and courses. The event will take place at Congress Centre, 28 Great Russell St. London WC1B 3LS.

We are also pleased to be involved with the Brew Project, which stands for ‘Building Resilience and Enterprise for Women in a Digital World’. The collaborative project involving many businesses and European partners will support and advise women aged 50+ who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Due to take place in March details will be finalised and shared in due course.

FashionCapital & Fashion Enter Ltd CEO Jenny Holloway has been invited as a guest speaker at the ‘Make It Happen Spain 2019 Conference’. Coinciding with International Women’s Day the conference brings a mix of interviews, speakers, stands, networking and sunshine opportunities. Jenny will discuss who are the real Belles of London and the ethos behind the in-house brand, she will also share her top tips for fashion business start-ups. The conference takes place on the 8th March in Marbella, Spain. For more information click here.

One show we have always supported and exhibited at the (Centre for Fashion Enterprise) CFE Manufacturers Trade Show has been scheduled for the 4th of April (London location to be announced) and sadly it will be the last one. Please put the 4th in your diary – the CFE have provided amazing support for up and coming brands over the years including the likes of Erdem, Peter Pilotto, Mary Katrantzou, Marques Almeida and Craig Green.

Fabric Swatch of the Week

We are already dreaming about spring here at FC HQ and have picked out this S/S classic red gingham in 100% lightweight cotton. Available from the FCFabricStudio now at £4.50 a metre.

This Week on FashionCapital.co.uk 

Talking fashion ethics at Jacket Required, Christopher Raeburn hits the nail on the head:Contrary to what some people think, sustainability is not a trend. We need to sizeably change what’s happening in our industry.”

Some positive British manufacturing news: workwear leaders, Wearwell are starting 2019 on a high after securing three big new contracts.

And we talk to Fashions Finest founder Deborah St. Louis about showcasing during London Fashion Week and building a brand with longevity.

And Finally…

Coming soon…a sneak peek at one of our next Belles – Elle Argyrou – if you like natural fabrics and fluid shapes then you’ll love Elle’s capsule Belles collection due to launch this Spring. Belles of London

More from the FashionCapital team next week.



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