Fashion industry has felt the effects of the credit crunch. We encourage designers to be flexible...
With Fibre2Fashion Correspondent Cindrella Thawani, CEO of British Fashion Council Caroline Rush, shares her views on ongoing London Fashion Week and challenges across the way of UK’s fashion industry. Further, she believes, London is where careers are launched and stars are born.
Synopsis:
British Fashion Council was formed in 1983. It aims to give platform to British designers and maintains London as the eminent performer for fashion pitch.
Ongoing illustrious London Fashion Week event is organised by the British Fashion Council, which is one of the ‘bigfour’ international catwalk influencers.
Presently, Caroline Rush serves as the CEO of British Fashion Council (BFC).
Excerpts:
What are those elements, which is making UK an eminent fashion industry?
The combination of the new emerging talent showcased alongside iconic heritage brands, makes British fashion the most exciting and unique fashion scene internationally. Because of the incredible design schools in London, which are known to be the best in the world, London is where careers are launched and stars are born.
Through the BFC’s initiative schemes such as NEWGEN sponsored by Topshop, Fashion Forward sponsored by eBay and BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, emerging designers have a platform and support with which to showcase their talent.
How is the global economy impacting the Britain’s fashion industry?
Oxford Economics estimates that sales of UK designer clothing have been rising by around 20 percent a year in the last decade, and are currently worth somewhere between £2.5 and £2.9 billion. (Source: BFC Future of Fashion Report 2012)
London Fashion Week is all set to rock the ramp. Please tell me, how many designers and countries are participating in the event?
London is the most innovative and diverse in the world’s fashion capitals. 62 catwalk shows and 20 presentations that will take place over the next five days, along with the London Fashion Week (LFW)exhibition housing 110 UK and international emerging designers participating in the event as well as established ready-to-wear and accessory designers are partaking.
What are your expectations from buyers and vice-versa?
We have buyers from 28 countries attending LFW this season. In February 2012, orders of over £100m were placed; likewise we are expecting this September to be successful.
What are those challenges that you envision for UK’s fashion industry? Please interpret.
Like many others, the fashion industry has felt the effects of the credit crunch. We encourage designers to be flexible, to look at cost saving initiatives, to adapt to market conditions and spread their risk by targeting different markets. In the UK, we are known for our emerging businesses, and the benefit of that is that there are more opportunities to adopt change quickly.
How do you see the future of fashion in the UK and globally?
BFC has launched the ‘Future of Fashion – Strategic Considerations for Growth’ report in February 2012. The considerations in this report offer inspiration and hope for the future of this great industry and for the economy of UK.
Moreover, Uk’s fashion industry is worth £21billion to its economy as well as makes an imperative contribution to the international status. Besides, much more can be done to steer this fragment.
BFC has announced the nominees for the British Fashion Awards. Please explain more about these awards?
British Fashion Awards celebrates the breadth and depth of talent in the British fashion industry. We aim to acknowledge and award emerging stars, established designer brands, models, style icons for their creativity who contribute to the international fashion scene. The winners will be announced at this year’s award ceremony which will take place on Tuesday, November 27.
What are those parameters for the designers to participate in London Fashion Week?
For designers to showcase their collections at LFW they need to be vetted by an advisory committee of media, buyers and industry professionals.
Published on: 17/09/2012
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
