Courtney Blackman is co-founder & co-chairman of Fashion Business Club and known for her fashionable outfits at FBC events, but she’s also the MD of Forward PR. Forward PR represents new and established designers, including several ethical designers. Courtney has organized events and fashion shows from the Ford Models Supermodel of the World UK to catwalk shows in Paris.
Most members know you as FBC co-founder & co-chairman, could you tell us more about Forward PR?
CB -I launched Forward PR in 2004 after the designer I was working for relocated to Tokyo. My initial clients were jewellery and accessory designers, so at first I was somewhat specialised in PR’ing jewellery and accessories. In the last couple of years we’ve (we’re a little team now) taken on a variety of clients – all in fashion – ranging from fashion designers; to Fred&Ginger - designer lingerie; to a model agency: Sapphires Model Management; to big events including the Ford Models Supermodel of the World UK Search and the 2009 Fashion Summit. I really love PR. I was born a natural people person.
What’s your fashion background?
CB – I’ve been running Forward PR for the past 6 years, and co-founded and act as managing director of Fashion Business Club, where we just celebrated our 4th birthday! I joined the board of the Ethical Fashion Forum last September, and I also do a bit of fashion writing for Blank magazine out of Panama. Prior to that, I was the London editor for Fashionista out of Chicago, and prior to that I worked for a London-based designer as her PR and marketing director.
In the last six months I’ve been involved in some exciting events and projects. I sat on the Advisory Board of the 2009 Fashion Summit, as well as the panel discussing the power of the fashion press. I was just one of the fashion panellists at the Ecommerce Summit discussing blogging and Twitter (which I’m apparently obsessed with).  I also sat on the expert panel for the first ever Handbag.com Online Fashion Awards, and judged this year’s Iconique Societás AwardsTM. Yes, I keep myself busy!
You’re involved in Fashion Week this season. What are you doing?
CB - One of our jewellery clients who we have looked after for several years, LeJu, will be exhibiting at London Fashion Week for the 6th season! It’s been amazing to watch them grow.
Also, we’ve just taken on Prophetik, a Tennessee-based sustainable label that has been exhibiting at London Fashion Weeks’s estethica for the past few seasons. This season Prophetik is showing at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, kicking off the shows there on the 19th at 1:00pm. We’re very busy getting ready! If anyone would like to request tickets, please send a note to: prophetik@forwardpr.com
You’re involved with the Ethical Fashion Forum. Can you tell us more about your involvement with this?
CB – I am a board member at the EFF, which is a network that focuses on social and environmental sustainability in the industry. I was really interested in joining the board since sustainability is such a growing factor in fashion. The EFF is great, as it’s not set up to enforce sustainability, but to educate and and act as a resource, pointing designers in the right direction if they’re looking for sustainable materials or socially responsible manufacturing. I know I’ll learn a lot by being on the board and am happy to apply my skill set and network to help the organisation expand. My next focus will be building a panel of ambassadors and a special advisory group.
Courtney can be contacted via e-mail on: courtney.blackman@forwardpr.com
