MANIFESTO

Fashion Fringe believes in:
The Vitality and Energy of Emerging Centres of Design
The Uniqueness of Young Design Talent
The Necessity for Extreme Creativity
Total Modernity
Youth
A Commitment to the Future of Fashion


WHAT IS FASHION FRINGE?

2008 is the fifth year of Fashion Fringe, the hottest thing to hit British fashion in the last 20 years. Created in 2004 by IMG global sports, entertainment and media company, under the creative direction of Colin McDowell MBE, the challenge is to re-invigorate the fashion industry in this country. Fashion Fringe is looking for cutting edge, iconoclastic talent in design and creativity to continue the tradition Britain has long been famous for.

We celebrate the fifth anniversary of Fashion Fringe this year and are ever more dedicated to our belief that, in order to keep British fashion strong, it must be invigorated by the introduction of new sustainable talent. Fashion Fringe is the nationwide search for such talent. We are looking for cutting edge, innovative designers who can grow into strong, viable businesses. We want excitement but we also need creative and business reality.

The successful person who is awarded the Fashion Fringe trophy will have determination, passion, self-belief and a strong aesthetic to carry them through the difficulties faced by all creators at the outset of their careers.

We want people who can not only dream but have the will to make the dream a reality, people who will not give in and be prepared to fight for everything up to five years before they can say that they have a viable and profitable business.

If you have the skill and determination we will help you to make it a reality.

Fashion Fringe is open to both British and Irish residents (hereinafter defined in the text as “British”).


HOW DID FASHION FRINGE COME ABOUT?

Colin McDowell MBE, fashion historian and senior fashion writer for the Sunday Times Style Magazine, felt that in order to help British fashion regain its place as a powerhouse of cutting edge originality, young talent needed to be targeted to make a dynamic fringe event to coincide with London Fashion Week. He is even more convinced now that young designers are worthy of all the support we can give them.

Download Colin McDowell's Biography


WHO ARE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE?

Renowned designers, buyers, senior press and fashion academies collectively form Fashion Fringe’s International Advisory Committee, chaired for the next two years by Donatella Versace, who takes over from Tom Ford, who has done so much to help Fashion Fringe over the last two years.

Fashion Fringe's Creative Director, Colin McDowell, explains "Although London fashion has generally been considered innovative, young designers have often failed because of lack of experience and technical knowledge. It is hard for them to get industry advice because our manufacturing capacity is small. That is why Fashion Fringe has set up an International Advisory Committee of supporters, all of whom are highly respected in their fields, to give us the benefit of their experience, advice and opinions. They do not have executive status in Fashion Fringe: basically they are friends, people we trust and admire, people who share our enthusiasm for Fashion Fringe, people who have generously agreed togive us the advantage of their knowledge and expertise for which we are very grateful".

The Advisory Panel
Alexander McQueen
Anna Wintour, Vogue
Anne Pitcher, Selfridges
Claudia Croft, Sunday Times Style
Dolce & Gabbana
Floriane De Saint Pierre, Headhunter
Frances Corner, London College of Fashion
Grita Loebsack, L'Oréal Paris
Hussain Chalayan
Jeremy Langmead, Esquire
Joan Burstein, Browns
John Galliano
Katie Grand, POP
Luigi Maramotti
Marc Jacobs
Massimo Ferretti
Muiccia Prada
Natalie Massenet, Net-A-Porter.com
Robert Forrest, Fashion Entrepreneur
Suzanne Tide-Frater
Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer
Tiffanie Darke, The Sunday Times Style
Zac Posen


HOW DOES FASHION FRINGE WORK?

Fashion Fringe is an annual project, launched to find and nurture undiscovered British designers. The hunt begins with the re-launch of this website and through an extensive PR campaign. The deadline date for applications is Friday 2nd May 2008.

On 14th & 15th May, 10 semi-finalists will be invited to London to have their abilities tested in a technical day at the London College of Fashion before being interviewed by our panel of fashion industry heavy-weights and business experts.

The 4 finalists will be announced on 16th May. They will then spend the next 3 months working on their collections. During this time they will undergo an intensive mentoring programme and Fashion Fringe will provide them with the funds, studio space and technical assistance to create 12 "looks" for their Fashion Fringe capsule collection, which will be shown in London as part of the official Fashion Week in September.


HOW DO I APPLY FOR FASHION FRINGE?

Fashion Fringe is open to both UK and Eire residents, (residing in their respective countries for a minimum of 3 years) or hold a valid work permit and must be over the age of 21. Please see full terms and conditions attached to the application form

There are 2 vital elements to the application process.

1. You will have until the beginning of May to complete the questionnaire and produce drawings for a capsule collection of 12 “looks”. The portfolio of 10-25 numbered drawings, not larger than A4, will be geared to Spring/Summer womenswear for 2009 which must include 5 detailed full-colour illustrations of your finished design and the development of your idea.

To be eligible:
  • • The collection must not contain lingerie
  • • The collection must consist solely of womenswear
  • • Incomplete applications will not be accepted
  • • Questionnaires and drawings MUST be sent together in the same package
  • • If you win, your business must be set up in and run from London until 2013
  • • You will be obliged to preview you collections in London for 5 years after you win and under the auspices of Fashion Fringe
  • • Unfortunately, drawings and applications cannot be returned but high quality colour photocopies are acceptable
2. The 10 short-listed semi-finalists will be invited to London to discuss their portfolios, which should include one finished garment from the proposed collection, with our panel of designers, buyers, academics, business managers and journalists. What we are looking for is an ability to demonstrate determination, courage as well as design creativity and business acumen. We want self-belief and passion but we also need commitment, business-sense and practicality. Successful semi-finalists will be notified in early May.


WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM CHOSEN AS A FINALIST?

We provide you with a budget and studio space to create your Fashion Fringe capsule collection. The budget will cover living expenses, buying fabric, paying technical staff. You will be in consultation with technical advisers and Fashion Fringe Mentors who are on hand to help you find the best way to realise your ideas. In June you will attend mentoring sessions and in July and August you will work with technical staff to help cut and make your collection.


AND IF I WIN?

A bespoke package of mentoring, business advice & planning, marketing, studio space and development grants through associated Fashion Fringe partners.


LATEST NEWS

22nd April 2008
"We have been incredibly impressed by Fashion Fringe since the outset: its energetic dedication to both the finding - and subsequent support of - new fashion talent has been exhilarating to watch and, even better, it's worked: Basso & Brooke, Erdem, Sinha-Stanic, Gavin Douglas - they are all names that started with Fashion Fringe and now boast brands in their own right. It was natural for us to feature the launch of the 2008 talent-searching roadshow on VogueTV."

Dolly Jones, Editor-in-Chief-Vogue.com

Watch the Fashion Fringe Roadshow exclusively


Fashion Fringe Newsletter - June 2007
Fashion Fringe Newsletter - July 2007
Fashion Fringe Newsletter - December 2007
Fashion Fringe Newsletter - March 2008