The Fashion Event & UK National Manufacturing Day 🏭

Newsletter 6th July 2022

Are You Ready For The Fashion Event!

The Fashion-Enter team in Wales and a group of art and design students from NPTC Newtown College have been busy preparing for Made in Wales – The Fashion Event which takes place this Friday 8th July. The fashion extravaganza will collectively celebrate design with cutting edge digital printing, thanks to Kornit, and the highly skilled manufacturing services available in this central county of Wales.

We have noted from the local reaction that there is a real impetus to continue the area’s legacy of quality textile and apparel production. The day long event will be open to local schools, where there will be informal sessions on the garment making process, manufacturing, skills and careers in the fashion industry. 

The student designs will be presented with two catwalk shows hosted by S4C’s BAFTA Cymru-winning presenter Mari Lövgreen and the evening will culminate in a grand finale and party.  

Student Evie Wootton commented: “It was strange seeing my designs in real life for the first time today. It’s really good that we have been given this opportunity to work with the professional industry.”

Confirmed guests include: The Baroness Morgan of Ely, MS for Mid & West Wales – Minister for Health & Social Services, Phil Oakley, UK Director at Kornit Digital, Russell George, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Montgomeryshire and Simon Platts, Director of Responsible Sourcing for ASOS.

Made in Wales – The Fashion Event will take place Friday 8th July at Focus Enterprise Hub, 3rd Floor, Pryce Jones Building The Royal Welsh Warehouse, 17 Old Kerry Road, Newtown, Powys, Wales SY16 1BJ. 

For invitation requests and further information please contact: annabellalewis@fashion-enter.com 

MP To Visit This National Manufacturing Day 

Tomorrow, 7th July, we welcome Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, for a visit and tour of Fashion-Enter’s Factory in Haringey as a part of Make UK’s inaugural National Manufacturing Day. 

National Manufacturing Day gives the opportunity for manufacturers’ to showcase their range of highly skilled staff, services and jobs they have on offer by throwing open their doors in a UK wide Open House. 

After the visit from Abena guided factory tours will take place at 11am or 3pm. If you would like to gain firsthand insight into the complete garment life cycle contact: jenni@fashion-enter.com  #NMD #NMD2022

New Zoom Masterclass: The Sampling Process 

On Thursday 21st July Production Director Caroline Ash and Senior Pattern Cutter Claire Solley will explain all you need to know about working with a sampling unit and what the complete process involves.

This session is aimed at start-up designers and those thinking about setting up a clothing label. If you have not worked with a manufacturer before or are very new to the process this session will break down exactly what is required from you as the client and what you can expect from the manufacturer.

This masterclass is free for FC Members, Islington residents and those on the N17 Creative Callings programme email: jenni@fashion-enter.com or £20 plus VAT. To find out more and book your place tap here.

Introducing Mansoor 

Meet Mansoor and his family, they left Afghanistan 8-months ago leaving behind a successful tailoring and sewing business. Along with being an in-demand menswear designer Mansoor also gave stitching lessons to local children and young adults. Now relocated in London he is looking for work and hopes to restart his design business.

Fashion-Enter CEO: Jenny Holloway commented: “We very much welcome Mansoor and his family to our Fashion Technology Academy. He’s already proficient with stitching skills so we’re very hopeful that we can offer a job. It’s a pleasure to meet his mother; an incredibly strong woman who has eight children; she’s no previous experience but she’s a natural already!”

Kimonos & Canapés at the Collective

Not long now until the Kimonos & Canapés event hosted by Anaqaa Apparel at the FC Designer Collective. Come along to the shop on Saturday 16th July  12 – 5pm for a preview of new designs by ALAS by Anaqaa Apparel, special event discounts, music, canapés and more. 

FC Designer Collective, 113-115, Fonthill Road, London N4 3HH. Close to Finsbury Park tube station.

Talking Business at the Workspace

Last week business mentor and fashion industry expert Sally Leonard delivered a hugely insightful masterclass on business in fashion and how to run a fashion label successfully to our Workspace designers and learners on the stitching and pattern cutting courses.

Feedback included: “I have learnt tonnes! Really useful. Branding, costings, range planning, competitor analysis. Really great thank-you!” – Morgan 

“I have learnt how to be organised and think ahead to start your own brand, and how to be successful in your business. Sally was very professional and very easy to understand in quite a complicated subject. I have learned a lot.” – G 

Need Help with Contract Law?

Nick Gould Partner / Solicitor at www.aria-grace.com has been providing us with his legal advice and expertise for over 12-years and has regularly hosted informative masterclasses and provided guidance in his guest articles on FashionCapital. 

CEOJenny Holloway comments: “We have only ever used Nick Gould as our Solicitor. He seems to really understand how SME’s work and understands the issues of cash flow and time that occurs with small businesses. Nick has this knack of going to the heart of the matter so it’s a win win for both parties. I do highly recommend Nick for contract law.”   

To contact Nick email: info@fashioncapital.co.uk 

Upskill with Gerber Accumark

We have one more place remaining for next week’s Gerber Accumark course for beginners. This is a 3-day course that will provide you with essential, in-demand digital pattern making skills. Upskill your CV and pattern knowledge, for more details and to book tap here. 

Masterclasses and Courses

Ongoing Stitching, Patterns and Tailoring Courses 

How to Grow Sales downloadable masterclasses with Carley Johnson

Gerber Accumark for Beginners – 13th July 

The Sampling Process Via Zoom – 21st July

Fabric Swatch of the Week

Did you enjoy the final of the Great British Sewing Bee last week? All 4 finalists produced some amazing makes under intense pressure. Inspired by the party jumpsuits on show we have picked out this monochrome, printed silk to create an item with a suitably luxurious feel. Available now from the FCFabricStudio at £8- per metre.

This Week on FashionCapital…

The latest research from Attest’s UK direct-to-consumer (D2C) report shows that the booming growth seen by many online retailers during the pandemic looks set to be cut back down to size by the cost of living crisis. Read more here: Inflation Nation.

And Finally…

Did you know that we never bin our fabric offcuts? These scraps of fabric have many uses, from practice swatches for our students to being recycled and reused by charities and design businesses. Here is designer @taylorleung picking up some offcuts from our Haringey factory for his latest projects.

Until next time, have a great week.

From the Team at FashionCapital.