On Monday night top representatives from the fashion and music industries flocked to Soho’s Punk to celebrate the launch of FBC member, Sarah Hardy’s new magazine, FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE, where she sits as the publisher and editor-in-chief.

Sarah Hardy

FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE is a bimonthly publication that promotes, reviews and inspires new talent in the fashion and music industries. The mission is to shine a spotlight on amazing talent and get unsigned bands heard.  Sarah’s unrivalled passion for Indie music and her decade-plus experience in fashion as both a designer and editor will no doubt see FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE taking centre stage as one of London’s coolest new magazines.  

Ample cider was passed around, courtesy of Kingstone Press Cider, and gorgeous men from The Models Portal ticked off names at the door.  Lots of FBC members looking very fashionable, were there to congratulate Sarah on her success.  Rita Nazareno was there toting one of her company, S.C. Vizcarra’s beautiful handbags; fashion designer, Diana Risso-Gill gave a us a saucy wink; fashion editor, Karolina Kivimaki donned the best rock ‘n’ roll chic; and we had a good chat with lovely fashion designers Sabina Ali and Kate Tailyour.

Rita Nazareno, Diana Risso-Gill and Karolina Kivimaki

Sabina Ali and Kate Tailyour

Well done, Sarah.  FBC is very happy for you and all your hard work!  We just hope you’ll be fully recovered by Thursday to record the minutes at our meeting.

FASHION.MUSIC.STYLE will be available for purchase from shops and online from 15 December 2008.

Courtney Blackman Vice Chairman & Co-Founder

FBC member, Kate Tailyour launched her label during London Fashion Week in 2007, and is one of only six people up for the British Council award. Kate was interviewed and shortlisted by a panel of independent UK fashion industry judges and a representative from the British Council’s Creative Economy unit.

The finalists take part in a specially-tailored tour of India’s fashion industry and the winner, announced at London Fashion Week in February 2009, will receive £5,000 to spend on a UK-India business project. Lets hope Sterling picks up again by then.

Kate’s collection has a relaxed luxury feel and the fabrics are sophisticated and simple, incorporating silk satin, jerseys, and gorgeous prints and weaves. A label with an environmental and ethical conscience, the collection is produced in the UK and incorporates fairtrade cottons and silks from India and Nepal as well as organic silk organza.

FBC asked Kate about her top three tips for a successful business:

1. Make sure you have fun and enjoy youself with your work - it really shows through and pushes your business the extra steps.

2. Whenever you get a knock back or hit a brick wall try and focus on a few positive things that you have achieved and suddenly the negatives will feel less important and in fact just motivate you on to the next thing.

3. I was once told that I am too ‘nice’ to work in fashion but I really think that treating those working around you well builds good relationships and people would actually much rather do business with someone who is friendly and positive!!! You can be a strong negotiator and be ‘nice’.

Good luck Kate!

“I have fantastic news,” gushed FBC member, Aude Lesur.  Aude has been in FBC since 2007 and is the designer and director of Credau, a menswear label that uses 100% natural/recycled material.  Her freestyle designs touch on raw creativity, engineered works and computerised prints.

Aude’s great work was recently recognised at London’s FashionExpo, where her company won the Menswear Designer Award from retail giant, Debenhams.

It was the second annual FashionExpo, an event set up to bring designers, retailers and manufacturers together.  

Aude (centre) with Julian Fuller of Debenhams and Laura Bailey

We love Credau’s credo:

From conception to packaging, Credau believes in using local industry, and environmentally sustainable production logistics:

-all our fabrics and trims are sourced in the UK and France
-clothes are made in Great Britain
-all materials used, from fabric to stationery, are natural (organic where possible), from sustainable or recycled sources.
-all dyes used on the garments are safe dye

Congratulations, Aude!  

Courtney Blackman Vice Chairman & Co-Founder

Phoebe Davison and FBC have been chatting across email - almost by accident the designer mentioned Kirribilla, her label set up with two of her childhood friends had been on the cover of Marie Claire USA. News like this is way too good to keep to yourself members!

Check out the latest and greatest moments:

Kirribilla was created to make every girl feel like the prettiest one in the room. Childhood friends Amanda Thomas, Faye Davison Rexing and Phoebe Davison craved the dresses they couldn’t find — the ones that turn everyone’s head and steal all the compliments — and so they set out to create them, launching their first collection in Spring/Summer 2007.

With design studios in San Francisco and London, the three draw inspiration from their own stylish surroundings and beyond to create classically feminine dresses with a touch of flair.

Each collection is inspired by one of the many destinations the girls have visited over the years - from the eye-catching glamour of the south of France to the natural beauty of Hawaii and more.

These faraway influences are combined with the free spirit of their native California to create eye-catching dresses that help you make the most out of every occasion.

 - See you next week at Sketch.

FBC Committee meeting at Automat

Regine Mowill, Rebekah Roy, Sarah Hardy, Alison Whelan and Courtney Blackman

On Friday 14th November the entire FBC committee descended on Automat in Dover Street to talk shop.  Working hard behind the scenes over a hot and hearty breakfast we discussed the next meeting:

- which is potentially over subscribed (so get there early!)

- said thanks to Drapers who are putting free mags on chairs (so get there early!)

- decided the £20 fee on the door for visitors is redeemable against a years membership (offer ends Dec 08)

- introduced Rita Nazareno, our new membership coordinator

- decided to ask members for a blog interview by sending out 5 questions and posting answers 

- agreed we were all doing fabulously well in our own businesses since joining FBC!

Sarah Hardy’s shoes on the Automat tiles

We all had far too much coffee and whizzed out the door for some serious fashion play for the rest of the day.  See you all Thursday 27th November, 3-4.30pm at Sketch, from all of us.

Alison Whelan Chairman & Co-Founder

London’s fabulous sketch will once again be hosting FBC for our next meeting on the 27^th. FBC board member and editor of Vogue.com, Dolly Jones, will interview our guest speaker, Michael Herz, head of womenswear design at Aquascutum.

Michael spent time working with Marc Jacobs at Iceberg, and with Alber Elbaz at Guy Laroche as chief designer on the brand’s diffusion range, before joining the luxury British heritage label. We’ll hear about his role at Aquascutum, including his management of a team of designers and assistants, as well as his development of the creative brand concept, and his work on ‘The Collection’, ‘Aquascutum London’ and ‘Aquascutum Vintage’.

Michael Herz

The talk will be followed by business networking. This meeting is for FBC members. If you are interested in attending, you can apply for membership by downloading the application form from the ‘HOW’ page on the FBC website. Or you may attend as a guest for a one-off fee of £20, but must have at least 2 years of professional experience in the fashion industry. Requests for attendance can be sent to: hello@fashionbusinessclub.net

Members, don’t forget to RSVP: rsvp@fashionbusinessclub.net

See you soon!

Sarah Hardy Editor

FBC members were out and about at various events for October’s most infamous holiday.  Fashion editor, Karolina Kivimaki; fashion designer, Regine Mowill; fashion stylist, Rebekah Roy; and business consultant, Rahima Valji were all spotted at FBC’s favourite new venue, Sketch for the Audio Sushi + Forward PR Autumn Party.  Purple proved to be a popular fashion choice and guests enjoyed a world class lineup of DJs in the quirkily appointed Parlour.

Karolina Kivimaki, Regine Mowill and Rahima Valji

The next evening a not-to-be-missed Halloween bash was hosted by Browns Focus and Alexa Chung at The House of St. Barnabas in Soho Square.  FBC’s Daisy de Villeneuve was my date and wore a vintage black dress for a stunning vampire-esque look, and I went as a fashion murderer, killing tartan (costume concept credited to Michael Herz).

Courtney Blackman and Daisy de Villeneuve

Upon arrival, Daisy was snapped up by the paparazzi then interviewed by Jade Parfitt for Vogue TV. 

Jade Parfitt and Daisy de Villeneuve

We ran into the gorgeous team from Vogue.com:  Julia Neel, Jessica Bumpus and Leisa Barnett, and fashion designer, Henry Holland, channelling Beetlejuice in a costume he made himself.  I did apologise to him for killing tartan, considering his last collection featured it heavily.  He was ok with it.  It was hard to know who was exactly there as everyone was in disguise, but we did spot Pixie Geldof and fashion stylist, Alexia Somerville.

Julia Neel and Jessica Bumpus

Leisa Barnett and Henry Holland

Winding through the massive venue, we ended up in a beautiful and spooky chapel and had good chats with Aurélie Lambillon, editor-in-chief of Paris’ Jalouse magazine, and Serena Reese, owner of Agent Provocateur.

Kate Mara and Charlie Cox

Heading out, we ran into twins, Daniela and Annette Felder from Felder Felder, snuck back in for a last dance, then hit one last party in Stockwell where we ran into super cute thespian couple, Kate Mara (Brokeback Mountain) and Charlie Cox (Stardust), before calling it a night.

Courtney Blackman Vice Chairman & Co-Founder