FBC member and former head of womenswear design for Aquascutum, Michael Herz, has resigned from his post along with menswear designer, Graeme Fidler.

With a decade under his belt at the luxury heritage label (after stints with Marc Jacobs and Alber Elbaz), and resounding positive reviews after his AW2010 collection, it is clear that Mr. Herz will be missed at the brand that was purchased last year by fellow FBC member Harold Tillman and run under the directorship of Belinda Earl.

What’s next for Michael?  There is lots of speculation. Stay tuned to find out. For a creative talent as big as his, it will no doubt be big.

Read what our media partner Vogue.com has to say: Vogue.com

FBC board member Daisy de Villeneuve partnered up with Vauxhall Fashion Scout (run by FBC members Martyn Roberts and John Walford) and Vogue.com (edited by board member Dolly Jones) over London Fashion Week to draw live from the catwalks of David Koma, Hermione de Paula and William Tempest.

Visit Vogue.com to see Daisy’s exclusive sketches and to see what she thought of each designers’ collection.

FBC member Giovanna Velasquez of Magenta 8 will be exhibiting their 2010 Hummingbird collection at Atmosphere’s in Paris from Friday the 5th to Monday the 8th of March 2010.

Magenta 8 is  London-based luxury brand that hand-makes capes, coats, jackets, shrugs and boleros from sumptuous alpaca wool.

Jardin des Tuileries, Terrase de Feuillants, 202 Rue de Rivoli- Paris 1er.

For more information contact Forward PR laura.mccluskey@forwardpr.com.

Aganovich will be exhibiting in Paris. For more information contact FBC member Brooke Taylor at brooke@aganovich.com.

As the city prepares itself for London Fashion Week, FBCers are gearing up, preparing themselves for the week ahead.

FBC co-chair and MD of Forward PR Courtney Blackman is launching Prophetik’s first fashion show at London Fashion Week.  Courtney also represents the jewellery label LeJu who is exhibiting for their sixth  season at London Fashion Fashion.

During London Fashion Week FBC editor and fashion stylist Rebekah Roy is styling several shows including Merit Award Winner William Tempest, Alice Palmer, Jasper Garvida, menswear designer Stefán Orschel-Read and Prophetik. She’s also been busy styling lookbooks with FBC members Jaime Cooke of Muks and Helen and Myra of Hemyca.

Prophetik will be opening the season at Vauxhall Fashion Scout run by FBC members and co-directors, Martyn Roberts and John Walford on Friday the 19th of September at 1:00pm.

To request at ticket request for Prophetik contact Sophie Gardner at: prophetik@forwardpr.com

FBC member Anna Brett is the MD of The Image Studio. Anna’s work is long done before the rest of us see it at London Fashion Week.They specializes in manufacturing high end fashion designer wear in central London. They’ve worked with some of London’s best talent including Vivienne Westwood, Marios Schwab, Peter Pilotto, William Tempest, Emilio de la Morena. The Image Studio won the Topshop Award Winner for Product Innovation.

Anna Brett - “We are extremely busy here at Image Studio Production, helping both established and hot new designers translate their creative designs for LFW into fabulous reality! Just wait until you see this seasons catwalks as we are already really excited about some of the new samples coming out!

For more information on The Image Studio contact annabrett.image@zen.co.uk.

Vauxhall Fashion Scout will be showcaseing The Ones To Watch for the third season! For more information visit Vauxhall Fashion Scout or contact FBC member Martyn Roberts at martyn@vauxhallfashionscout.com.

The Fashion and Textile Museum are thrilled to announce that they are working in partnership with Clothes Show London, with its new residency at Earls Court 25-27 June 2010, to launch a competition to find the Young Accessory Designer of the Year.

Alison Lewy Commercial Director, Fashion and Textile Museum and FBC member welcomes this opportunity to support aspiring design talent in this way: “FTM is thrilled to be working in partnership with Clothes Show London to launch this new competition which reflects the ethos of the museum to support young design talent. The winner will have a unique opportunity to receive a package of high-level, professional industry led support from the FTM to ensure the on-going development of their business, as well as exposure for their brand.”

Competition Brief
The prestigious new award in partnership with the FTM, challenges designers to create an accessory product that encompasses the FTM’s brand values and is suitable for sale in the FTM’s shop (Shop@FTM) and the FTM’s online boutique.

Entrance criteria
The competition is open to aspiring designers who have been trading for fewer than three years.

The Prize
The winner will have the opportunity to receive the following:
• To showcase their product at Clothes Show London
• To launch and sell the winning product in the Shop@FTM
• Six months business support with industry advisors to help grow their business and make it sustainable
• To attend a professional CAD short course at the FTM
• Invitation to the Private View of the forthcoming Horrockses Fashion exhibition

All entries will be judged by FTM’s Commercial Director, Alison Lewy and Managing Director of Clothes Show London, Gavin Brown. The winner will be announced at an impressive awards ceremony in Clothes Show London’s spectacular Fashion Theatre at London’s Earls Court on Saturday 26th June.

Deadline for Entries
15th April 2010
Winner announcement at Clothes Show London on 26th June 2010

To enter visit  www.ftmlondon.org to download an application form.

S.C.Vizcarra handbags by FBC member Rita Nazareno are now available at Suzannah boutique, including the lovely little handbag that Courtney Blackman Co-Founder & Co-Chairman has named “Blue Bell“!

Suzannah
6 Bristol Gardens,
London W9 2JG

Happy Birthday FBC!

An interview with Courtney Blackman and Alison Whelan, co-founders and chairmen.

What inspired you to start FBC?
CB - Alison was inspired to start FBC as the visionary and wrangled me in to make it happen. I thought it was a brilliant idea and LOVE making things happen!

AW - The inspiration behind FBC has always been about bringing people together. In essence it all began with Courtney and I coming together. Courtney invited me onto ASW and whilst checking out the site I noticed people working in the petroleum industry making plans to meet up. I thought it would be a great idea to start something similar for the fashion industry. Luckily, Courtney thought so too (otherwise not much would have happened).

How has it grown in the past 4 years?
CB - Four years ago there were 25 of us crammed in a little room on South Molton Street. Now there are over 120 of us schmoozing around the Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™ Concept Store and Café, listening to the biggest names in the fashion industry being interviewed by our board members: Dolly Jones and Daisy de Villeneuve. In addition to the board, we have an amazing team of nine strong that make FBC happen, and we have our our television production company: FBCtv

AW - Membership has grown and I’m really happy about that BUT what really thrills me is seeing members renew - I know we are doing something right when people keep coming back. Professional interest has grown too - Courtney has worked had to secure the fashion establishment logo’s you see on our invites and it really started to turn around when Alexandra Shulman agreed to be interviewed.

What does FBC do for its members?
CB - FBC was designed to bring established fashion business people together so they can learn from each other, work with one another, and be inspired by the speakers. We basically wanted to bring the industry closer together.
AW - Everything we build, we do for our members benefit - the meetings, the committee, the board, the blog, the venue, the speakers, the database and now FBCtv.

What changes can we expect over the next year?
AW - Well I’m depending on countless dress changes courtesy of Ms. Blackman! We are working on a revised business plan for FBC, renewing media partnerships and sponsors. Expanding FBCtv through new distribution channels and developing an online networking prototype. We’re also looking at franchising FBC and first term investment. The changes are all external developments, the heart of FBC will always remain the same - we’re bringing people together.

CB - We’re in talks to make FBCtv bigger and better and to increase the distribution, and we’re designing the prototype for FBC’s dedicated advanced social networking online portal.

The next meeting will be held Thursday, January 28 at FBC’s new venue partner for 2010: the Swaravski CRYSTALLIZED™ Concept Store and Café on Great Marlborough Street. Come and celebrate with us and enjoy some organic and fairtrade cupcakes from Cakehole!

Photos by Dave Wise for FBC