There was no dress code for our last FBC meeting but then a little black dress may have caused some confusion. Our speaker was Alison Lewy, Commercial Director at the Fashion and Textile Museum, our meeting venue and recent host to The Little Black Dress exhibition.
A series of black dresses from the exhibit.
The museum was founded in 2002 by renowned British designer Zandra Rhodes. Although Zandra is still an ambassador and great supporter of the museum, the building was redeveloped by Newham College in 2006 and now operates as a national skill’s academy for fashion, textiles and jewellery.
FBC members were all ears as Alison explained how the FTM is managed as a business concern. As well as attracting commercial sponsorship, the museum generates income through sales, venue hire, learning skill workshops and the cafe. Collaboration is key and they work closely with the technical skills sector in the fashion industry. A fine example would be Savile Row. Ten companies from the world-renowned location worked with the FTM to develop an apprenticeship scheme.
FBC members and press listening to Alison Lewy.
Opportunities also abound at the Fashion and Textile Museum shop. The retail space is a platform for new designers who have the responsibility of merchandising their own areas. The collections must of course work well together and need to make a profit but no commission is charged and the only fee is the retail rent. Each designer also gets a profile on the FTM website along with an image and link to their own website.
Glamorous designs of the 1970’s form the next exhibition at the museum. Billy: Bill Gibb’s Moment in Time is a retrospective of the creative designer’s work whose loyal client list included Bianca Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor.
As for FBC, we can look forward to our next meeting on September 25th with speaker Lauretta Roberts, editor of the fashion business weekly, Drapers. Stay tuned for more details…
SARAH HARDY Editor
