Want your own label? Have your work critiqued by industry professionals at ECUK festival on 26 April
IT goes without saying that the fashion industry is tough. The competitiveness, the criticism and the constant quest for recognition - not to mention the notorious reputation of bitchiness a la Devil Wears Prada that the industry still struggles to shake. So, should you give up on dreams of making it to the frow? Hell no.
With the industry totting up to a whopping £28 billion, it’s no surprise that budding fashion designers are keen to make their stake on the UK fashion market. But in a world that values contacts over credentials, breaking into the fashion clique can be more than tricky for newbie designers.
So how do you make it like Marc and get your designs noticed? Dreamers of launching a fashion label rejoice; your carefully accessorised prayers have been answered.
The team behind the new St. John’s neighbourhood at Manchester’s Old Granada Studios have assembled fashion’s finest to help launch the career of an emerging designer in a live workshop experience.
Experts in creating chart-topping brands and must-have products, the team will give one lucky winner an industry-standard critique at the festival launch for St. John’s new creative industries cluster, ECUK on 26 April.
The dream team of six includes branding experts Love Creative, as well as well-known photographers, fashion gurus, stylists and bloggers. Each expert will highlight their contribution to the product launch process during the live workshop, which will be attended by key industry figures including buyers, e-commerce professionals and journalists. Although there will only be one lucky winner who will have the experience tailored to their brand, the live three-hour event is open to all who want to mingle with industry professionals and gain insider know-how.
Event organiser Daisy Barnes from St. John’s added: "It can be incredibly hard to know where to begin when starting a fashion brand. Whether you're starting with just one product or a full collection it's not always obvious to know where to invest both time and money to get your brand off the ground. We wanted to create an open and collaborative experience - where those who have gone through the process - and those who help others do so as their day job - can unveil some of the secrets to success alongside common pitfalls in an interactive way.”
The unmissable experience will no doubt help launch the career of the chosen designer, as well as become an invaluable resource thanks to streaming from Reform Radio and online archiving post-event.
Commenting on the prize, Daisy explained; “One designer will walk in with an idea and leave with a marketable product and roadmap to go forward."
Think your designs could rock the runway?
Then send over no more than one A4 page with at least one visual – a photograph of an existing item or a sketch – and a short paragraph on the concept for the product(s)/brand to ecuk.comp@alliedlondon.com . All ideas welcome (there’s no judgement here). Entries close 24 April.
Free tickets to watch and interact with the process can be found at enterprisecityuk.com
