Fashioning a Way Forward

This week will see the launch of a policy
briefing ”˜Fashioning a Way Forward’ highlighting issues in the fashion and
textile sector as gathered by the transnational EQUAL funded initiative Cutting
IT.

 

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PRESS RELEASE                                                      5^th
Nov 2007

 

Fashioning a Way Forward.

 

This week will see the launch of a policy
briefing ”˜Fashioning a Way Forward’ highlighting issues in the fashion and
textile sector as gathered by the transnational EQUAL funded initiative Cutting
IT. 

 

The document is launched at the first
FashionExpo trade event, taking place at The Business Design Centre in
Islington on Monday and Tuesday 5^th and 6^th November, and
is also formally presented as part of the policy influencing international Creative
Clusters Conference from the 9^th ”“ 13^th where fashion
also has a prominent focus.

 

As a large new trade event for the Fashion
and Textile sector FashionExpo, organised by the City Fringe Partnership, draws
together designers and manufacturers to develop and improve the collaborations
that appear to be driving growth in the Cut, Make and Trim (CMT) sector. CMT
manufacturing features prominently in the production of samples and high
quality short runs for an industry where 90% of businesses employ less than 50
and 60% less than 5 people.

 

FashionExpo also offers connections that
could help designers and buyers to both reduce their carbon footprint, and
consider the sustainability and ethical trading issues that are high on the
government’s Creative Industries agenda. 

 

Andrew Theodousai, managing director of The
Sampling Unit, handling couture production at Florentia Clothing Village
explains, “ We are doing lots of work with designers, some of whom have shifted
their production from overseas to make the most of the high quality and short
runs that UK production can offer closer to home.  This helps the designer remain engaged with
the design of their garments and means they can have a more hands on approach
to their garment’s production.”

 

Junior Persuad of handbag manufacturers,
J&R Designs Ltd agrees, “Our growth is down to our close collaborative and
versatile work with designers, the fact that we can innovate in the same way
that a designer does to come up with something truly exceptional is key. It’s
not just the UK designers either, we are now seeing a surge in interest from
overseas clients after the quality and creativity we can offer through our
versatile approach to production.”

 

The Fashioning A Way Forward policy
briefing recognises the need for the UK fashion industry to improve
sustainability and that the UK’s high quality Cut, Make and Trim production
units sit well within the government’s drive to develop the UK’s Creative
Industries agenda strengthening the UK’s international reputation for
creativity.

 

With funding for the main FashionExpo event
from the London Development Agency, a series of six FashionConnect workshops
funded by Cutting IT, bring the results of three years of research and pilots to
address adaptability issues in the fashion and textile sector to
FashionExpo.  The workshops cover topics
to help both designers and manufacturers to maximise growth, featuring advice
from over 40 of the fashion industry’s top business people and innovators,
including expertise on ethical trading and sustainability from Adili,
Peopletree and M & S.

 

FashionExpo also features a trade
exhibition featuring designers and manufacturers, the renowned catwalk show
”˜Profile’ for designers, and introduces the brand new catwalk ”˜Platform’ for
manufacturers to demonstrate their expertise and the impact of collaborative
partnerships between design and production.

 

www.fashion-expo.co.uk

 

END

 

 

For further info

Jo Eckersley

Strategic PR, Evaluation and Policy

Cutting IT

07970 073525