JULY 2008
The two major stories for Fashion Fringe at Covent Garden this month are both connected with Italy. But first…
MENTORING
Our young hopefuls had a very intensive and illuminating fortnight with Fashion Fringe’s partners, friends and family, learning about the highs, lows, complications, vast facets and not so glamorous parts of running a fashion business from buyers to production teams.
These included an American Express representative discussing budgeting finance. Cotton Incorporated flew in from the US to present a trend forecast for the next year and Lee Wood from Versace’s design studio had individual sessions with each designer to discuss their creative visions. There was a road trip to Milton Keynes, to the House of Fraser distribution centre where DHL explained to the designers the lesser known facets of logistics. Vanity Fair’s Elizabeth Saltzman was admirably honest about the press industry, and Pentagram’s CEO discussed the importance of brand and identity.
It was an invaluable week that was fascinating not only for our designers but for the Fashion Fringe Team too and we would like to thank everyone who was involved.
MILAN
In a totally characteristic gesture of generosity, Donatella Versace, who is our chairperson, invited our fours finalists for 2008 to Milan in order to see her menswear show and be given the opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’. We were all delighted that they were given front row seats and invited to Donatella’s private dinner party in the garden at Via Gesu – on the table next to Donatella and her personal guests who included Janet Jackson, Rupert Everett and Anna Wintour. It was a great party and our ‘famous four’ took to all the air-kissing like ducks to water and chatted with everybody including Rupert.
The next day, after a much needed pizza and regardless of hangovers, the finalists spent valuable time in the atelier, being introduced to the world of high fashion by Lee Wood (head of Versace’s women’s design team).
The whole experience was invaluable for them. As William Tempest said “This is something that I will remember forever” a view also expressed by Louise Markey in one word “Incredible!”
Now, all four of the finalists are bedding down in their London College of Fashion studios, ready to work on producing their own collection ready for the Fashion Fringe catwalk on September 18th.
BOLOGNA
BOLOGNA
Our second Italian story centres on the Fashion Fringe Shoe competition which we initiated this year in conjunction with hot British shoe designer Rupert Sanderson, with whom the winner will be working alongside. Part of the prize is spending extended time in Rupert’s factory in Italy, just outside Bologna, to get a real taste of what it is to run a shoe label and get down and dirty with the manufacturing side of the business.
Liam Fahy was chosen as the winner from 6 finalists who were all of a very high calibre. As usual with Fashion Fringe, and choosing a winner was not easy. Our team of experts, invited by Rupert, consisted of Paula Reed of Grazia; Sebastian Manes, Director of Accessories at Selfridge’s and Manolo Blahnik, who was chairman. Liam Fahy, a 24 year old, who was born and brought up in Zimbabwe, was educated at DeMontford University in Leicester.
Click here to see images
From the Fashion Fringe Team x
P.S Many congratulations to last year’s finalist Graeme Armour who was named Scottish Young Designer of the Year by a panel of Daphne Guinness, Dolly Jones, Kate Phelan and Hilary Alexander.
