‘The Reality of the Fashion Business Today’

 

This week, Jenny Holloway, director of FashionCapital Ltd, and JoJo Iles, manageress of the FashionCapital boutique ‘British Designers’, paid some of Bath’s fashion and business students a visit with a short seminar entitled ‘The Reality of the Fashion Business Today’.

 

 

A somewhat dubious title given the current climate of the fashion and retail industry. However, there is no denying that the UK fashion sector is estimated to support 1.3 million jobs, equivalent 4.5% of total employment, and is the largest employer of all the creative industries. And while the news is awash with closures and cut-backs there are success stories and areas of growth.

 

 

Over 60 students attended the seminar

 

After a hiccup courtesy of the London Underground Jenny arrived just in time to candidly talk to a range of fashion design and business students from Bath Spa University and the City of Bath College. Thanks to Bath Spa Uni the seminar was held in a state of the art lecture theatre at the Sion Hill, Art & Design campus.

 

Jenny began by asking the students if they ‘would like to run their own business?’ And a good majority indicated that they did. She followed by asking ‘what areas of the industry they were interested in?’ which helped her tailor the seminar and the information she discussed. Keeping the talk informal and personable Jenny opened with her career story to date and then continued into the current state of the market and key points such as fast track fashion and local manufacturing to smaller buys and the growth of the e-tail market.

 

The seminar which lasted just over an hour included valuable information for creative, technical and business students. Ending with a Q & A session the feedback from those attending was extremely positive and Jenny is now looking forward to collaborating with JoJo again in March – this time as a panel guest on the ‘Bath in Fashion – Fashion Your Future’  careers advice forum.

 

Louise Pickles takes Jenny Holloway for a much needed drink post seminar

 

Thanks to Louise Pickles, Fashion Course Leader, and Bath Spa University for the use of their lecture theatre and to all that attended.

 

Handouts from this talk can be picked up from the British Designers @ FashionCapital boutique, 14 Milsom Place, Bath BA1 1BZ.