Fashion Business Club

Photograph of Courtney Blackman by Christopher Dadey

Creative consortium FARBLACK Limited has agreed to purchase London’s Fashion Business Club (FBC) Ltd. and has named Courtney Blackman as its managing director. The driving force behind the success of FBC, Blackman is being reappointed with immediate effect and will be instituting several exciting changes.

Fashion Business Club (FBC) will be rebranded as The Industry. Blackman says, “We have had an amazing five years at FBC and it is now time to evolve. The group is much, much more than a club, and the new name will better represent us as we grow our offer and expand internationally.”

Along with the new name, there will be a new meeting structure. “The one bit of consistent feedback was that the timing for our meetings was restrictive, so we’re moving the meeting start time from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, to give more members the ability to enjoy and benefit from them,” continues Blackman.

The next meeting will be Wednesday the 27th of July at 5:00pm at Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™. Multiple award-winning British singer and songwriter, Kate Nash will be The Industry’s guest, interviewed by top London fashion stylist, Rebekah Roy, renowned globally for her work across editorial, catwalk and music. Kate will be sharing her experience in the music industry and relating how her image and fashion footprint translates to and inspires her fan base.

The July 27^th meeting will also be the official launch of The Industry’s new website which will enhance the membership experience, providing The Industry members with a platform to promote their brands, while providing a wider swath of the fashion world access to interesting and timely insights.

Finally, at the same meeting The Industry will be announcing a suite of offerings to members that are sure to keep The Industry as the leading forum for the fashion community.

For more details contact: laura@theindustrylondon.com

FPW invites all FBC members to a drinks reception on Wednesday 18th May 6-8 pm at One Marylebone.

The winner of FPW will be announced at the reception. We wish FBC members HEMYCA, KNOCK ON THE DOOR, VIKING WONG and YAN TO the best of luck.

FBC are delighted to announce Fashion Press Week (FPW) will be held at One Marylebone, London on 18 & 19 May by Fearnhurst PR and Mischon de Reya (MdR) . As co-sponosrs of this event for the second year running, we support this popular event and the way it offers brands the opportunity to showcase their AW11 Collections to press across fashion, consumer, lifestyle and trade media. Last year, over 130 brands presented their collections to 400 members of fashion press as well as 200 buyers, professional bodies and industry influencers. A smart inititiative to meet press, network and scope out the event for your SS12 collections.

Qualifying as finalists to win a years mentoring from fashion and media experts, are FBC members and labels, Hemyca, Knock On the Door, Viking Wong and Yan To who presented their collections and shared their aspirations for their business to a panel of industry experts  The winner will be announced during FPW.

Fashion Press Week in partnership with DIARY will be taking place Wednesday 18th May to Thursday 19th May at One Marylebone, 1 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4AQ.

The event will showcase the AW11 collection launches from a variety of leading retailers and designer brands in a stunning location with a number of fantastic features lined up at the event.  Brands include Marc Cain, Austin Reed and Thomas Sabo amongst many others.

Press should register to attend at www.fashionpressweek.com

The show is open from 10am – 8pm on 18th May and 10am – 6pm on 19th May.

Following the success of November’s debut show, leading international law firm, Mishcon de Reya will again be sponsoring a gallery supporting emerging and ethical brands under the Fashion Discovered and Fashion Fair brands. This season Mishcon de Reya in association with Fashion Business Club, launched a competition to search for designers who fall under the Fashion Discovered and Fashion Fair guidelines to offer complimentary space within the event as well as win a year’s mentoring from a wealth of fashion, media and legal experts as well as an annual subscription to DIARY. Shortlisted brands include the talented Ivana Basilotta, inspirational Hemyca and fashion forward Viking Wong.

In addition, to further support their sponsorship at Fashion Press Week, Mishcon de Reya will be hosting Cafe Legal, a pop-up coffee shop at the event where brand directors and CEO’s can meet with the legal team to discuss any matters ranging from intellectual property, real estate, corporate issues and employment law.

For more information about the brands participating and the event itself please visit www.fashionpressweek.com.

Enquiries

Danielle Nathan

E: Danielle@fashionpressweek.com

T: +44 (0) 207 317 2788

SECOND ANNUAL WGSN GLOBAL FASHION AWARDS ANNOUNCE OPEN ENTRY

WGSN will once again honour fashion’s most inspirational and innovative at the second annual Global Fashion Awards in New York City. The Global Fashion Awards were created by WGSN in 2010 to recognise and reward those who are pushing the boundaries of fashion, propelling the industry forward and setting the style agenda on a global scale. The second annual WGSN Global Fashion Awards open entry launches today and is a call for all individuals and businesses working across the fashion industry around the world. Entries can be made online via www.globalfashionawards.com.

“The WGSN Global Fashion Awards celebrate the fashion industry as a completely connected, global platform.  In order to be successful in this universe, one needs the talents and expertise of a wide variety of players, from designers to business leaders, retailers to editors and marketers to models – it takes a whole village…but a very chic one”. Fern Mallis, Founder of New York Fashion Week

The shortlist will be announced in London at a party on the 20th of June at the St Martins Lane Hotel and the winners will be announced at a ceremony that will take place at the Global Fashion Awards’ larger and more fabulous new venue, Gotham Hall in New York City on the 20th of October in front of an audience of fashion’s most influential industry insiders.

“As a creative company, we are constantly looking for new experiences. Getting in contact with new realities, markets, cultures and interesting people is our every day basis. Since WGSN has clients all over the world, the Global Fashion Awards exposure and event was great for us and our clients who joined us on the journey”. Fernanda Pigatto, Institutional Relationship Manager, La Estampa

This year’s categories will again encompass all major business and creative disciplines in fashion including design, retail (off and online), buying, visual merchandising, store design, marketing and ethical practice. The WGSN Global Fashion Awards are the first and only awards that recognise these achievements on a global scale.

The winners will be selected by an expert panel of judges, made up of some of the most prominent people in the fashion and style industries, including designers, buying directors, stylists, merchants and marketing executives. The judges’ panel was carefully selected by WGSN to ensure impartiality and global expertise. The 2011 panel includes:

Chee Au, Chief Creative Officer, Shanghai Tang

June Haynes, Senior Vice President of Retail, Valentino USA

Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz, Creative Directors, Bally

Orsola de Castro, Founder and Curator of the British Fashion Council’s Estethica

Dolly Jones, Editor, VOGUE.COM UK

Simon Kneen, Creative Director and Executive Vice President of Design, Banana Republic

Averyl Oates, Buying Director, Harvey Nichols – Menswear, Womenswear and Accessories

Jana Ririnui, Founder and Director, Academy of Freelance Makeup

William Tempest, Founder and Designer, William Tempest

Daisy de Villeneuve, Illustrator, Designer and Writer

Rebekah Roy, Fashion & Celebrity Stylist

“The landscape of the fashion industry has become more transparent and open. The Internet and social media have fostered new relationships, opportunities and means of operation for fashion businesses and exposed the fashion marketplace to a new global consumer. As the largest and foremost style and design forecaster, WGSN is charged with finding and honouring the world’s idea-makers – the ones whose actions and influence inspire the fashion industry and the broader consumer market”. Susanna Kempe, CEO of WGSN

For more press information on the WGSN Global Fashion Awards and to register your interest, please contact Courtney Blackman. Email: courtney.blackman@forwardpr.com Phone: +44 20 7839 5059

About WGSN

WGSN is the global authority on style and design. The company identifies and analyzes current and future style trends and provides its customers with state-of-the-art online tools that that can be used to create commercially successful products and services. WGSN defines and shapes wining style and design for over 36,000 customers globally. WGSN customers include many of the world’s leading apparel, style, design and retail companies including Levi Strauss & Co., Adidas, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, Benetton Group, and Marks and Spencers, among others. WGSN is head quartered in London and has offices all over the world including Milan, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Tokyo. For more information, visit www.wgsn.com. Follow WGSN on Twitter: @wgsn.

Navaz Batliwalla (DRG) and Sasha Wilkins(LLG(

Yesterday’s Fashion Business Club (FBC) event was a meeting of minds and experiences between Sasha Wilkins (Liberty London Girl LLG) and Navaz Batliwalla (DisneyRollerGirl DRG).

Wilkins started blogging in 2007, inspired by Belle de Jour, the anonymous sex blogger who had won awards for her online writing as early as 2003 when traditional media and online forums alike started speculating on her identity.

Liberty London Girl was originally launched as a journal reflecting her wide range of interests and experiences. To this day the LLG blog has kept this unique tone – a recipe for ‘Delicious Green soup to keep you healthy‘ alongside pictures of Posetta Baddog the Dachshund. What has changed however, is her popularity and following, resulting in a serious amount of blog power. LLG historical stats show nearly 5,000 hits in the first year compared to 125 000 monthly unique hits in 2011.

The tipping point in LLG readership was a November 2009 Daily Telegraph article listing her alongside 24 other fashion blogs. Syndicated worldwide, it had more impact than an earlier, shorter print mention in Grazia‘s barometer and praise in Paris Vogue. By 2009, the fashion blogosphere had moved from being a tight-knit community with a handful of hardcore bloggers knowing each other, to an expanding network of blogs of varying quality mostly focused on personal and street style photography.

LLG is a multi-channel brand encompassing blog advertising, a media consultancy in the form of LLG Consults and licensing. Yesterday, just prior to the FBC event Wilkins received email confirmation on her signing with literary and talent agency Curtis Brown.

Revealing their identity was one of the hardest decisions Wilkins and Batliwalla made as bloggers. Their rationale however was similar; motivated by all the opportunities missed. due to personal requests for anonymity. Wilkins notably regrets being stuck in the US without the means to buy a Milan plane ticket and sit alongside Garance, The Sartorialist and Bryan Boy on the D&G SS10 front row, the show where bloggers became stars. Going public meant being able to put a face on a brand and raise its profile. Known for having the courage of her opinions, Wilkins acknowledges that it is a ‘nicer version of LLG now it her face on it’.

Alison Whelan, Navaz Batliwalla and Sasha Wilkins

This nicer version doesn’t include undeserved praise. LLG isn’t for sale. Most of the freebies she receives or is offered are either turned down or sent back, especially if they aren’t a good match for her readership. Amongst the best pieces of PR, she names a custom-made Barbour for Posetta (‘get me through my dog – smart’) and an Angel Jackson Continental clutch & iPad case she was gifted after a year long reciprocal relationship with the brand. The bag sold out over night after she posted a picture on her blog. Relationships with the press can be successful, but only if both sides have done their homework. Refuting the traditional ‘PRs bad, bloggers good’ paradigm, LLG points the finger at bloggers behaving badly, expecting payments or freebies for posts. Both Wilkins and Batliwalla agree however, that sold out bloggers are unlikely to gather faithful readership. What makes the difference online is a unique tone. For that reason LLG rarely blogs press events – ‘What’s the point of covering something already rehashed online by everyone else or to blog clothes six months before they hit the racks?’

As seasoned fashion editors, both Wilkins and Batliwalla share tips and industry news with their readers that few other bloggers have access to. This authoritative voice however doesn’t give them the insight to predict how their blogs and brands will evolve in a world moving quickly and in unexpected ways. Everything LLG and DRG are doing is being done for the first time – there is no road map, they are writing the instructions book as they blog along – with great humour, integrity and authenticity.

Guest Writer - Lucie Goulet.

All photography by Michelle Bobb-Parris

FBC member Pamela Reynolds and her company I Heart Studios have been shooting products, t-shirts and bags with Simeon Farrar who has created a loose fitting God Save the King and his Queen t-shirt with a Sex Pistols style slogan featured below in Grazia daily.  He  was also responsible for the ‘kate mouse’ t-shorts for Liberty.

Simeon has been asked to create a bespoke bag for Liberty London and I Heart Studios will also be photographing that signature piece.

Simeon Farrar is a London based designer who trained in Fine Art and has been a painter for the last 10 years. In February 2004 he launched his label of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear. He has won the New Generation Award at London Fashion Week three times and is stocked at prestigious stores worldwide.

Simeon is represented by Iroquis PR contact Daniel

HEMYCA design duo, Helen and Myra, are among the growing design philosophy placing eco-friendly design and social responsibility at the heart of what they do.

This season HEMYCA presented its latest AW11 Collection, entitled “House of Shadows” at EcoLuxe during London Fashion Week revealing its sustainable designs and ethical side. Helen and Myra who describe their label as being committed to “quality, luxury, silhouette, beauty, sophistication, empowerment, charity and the experience of the individual” tell us about their latest collection. “The EcoLuxe Exhibition was a great success for HEMYCA. The new collection was very well received by press and buyers with its beautifully tailored strong geometric silhouettes, luxurious herringbone textures, cashmere and jersey paired with stunning feather-light leather detailing and indulgent faux-fur paneling while contrasting the light and dark.”

HEMYCA has an Organic Tailoring range and manufactures all the garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions while also working with various Charities, such as Age UK and Coppafeel among others.

Click here to see HEMYCA’s AW 11 Collection, House of Shadows.

Blog written by: Bukie Aje-Lloyd FBC London

FBC member and British designer, Samata Angel has won the Red Carpet Green Dress Challenge.  The winning dress was unveiled at the Global Pre-Oscar Awards on March 3rd following a competition requiring an eco-friendly dress made from natural, organic, or recycled fabrics to be designed for the red carpet at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Samata, who designs under the label Samata’s Muse, walked the red carpet with competition founders Suzie Amis Cameron and James Cameron and a model of her choice wearing her creation.

Samata who entered the competition after seeing it on VOGUE.COM, tells us “meeting and spending time with Suzy Amis Cameron was both inspirational and educational. Not only did I learn so much about ‘green’ fashion, I also has the opportunity to showcase one of my designs on the ‘green’ carpet to a high profile audience. The whole experience has opened some huge doors for me and I am just so excited and grateful.”

Blog written by: Bukie Aje-Lloyd FBC London

Designer and FBC member Yan To provided an unusual opportunity for pedestrians on Conduit Street’s busy shopping area to see a designer at work, when he created a special one-off piece, live in store at Layers London for London Fashion Week (LFW).

What was the reason for this approach? Yan says that pragmatism and cash constraints made him more creative in more aspects than just his collection. “I wanted to do something during LFW but didn’t have the funds for a catwalk show or even an exhibition space. I then got to thinking about ways in which I could do something different yet creative and connect with a wide section of people for minimum cost.”

The finished product (seen below), a black dress base overlaid with three boxes of elastic will also be featuring as part of his collection in the Eastern Block Showroom in Paris from 3-9 March.

You can see more designs by Yan to on is website www.yan-to.com

Blog written by: Bukie Aje-Lloyd FBC London

FBC is looking for new committee members to support and become a valued asset within the FBC team. We have a great history of wonderful people –  The committee is made up members who volunteer their time, who are credited on the FBC website, further promote their name through committee activity, meet once every two months for an informal breakfast to keep everyone in the loop and remain connected. Thanks to everyone who worked on the committee in the past, and looking froward to meeting the next generation.

FBC Membership Director

Social butterfly. Working closely with prospective and current members , the FBC Membership Director is the linchpin in the FBC Team. We are looking for someone who is highly organised, professional, able to work with confidential information, manage member database and guest lists, someone who enjoys people and champions good, old-fashioned service with attention to detail

Commitment: 5 hours a week, increase during event week and fashion weeks.

FBC Press Director

Connection specialist. Working closely in developing our relationships with our venue and media partners, distributors, speakers and interviewers, the FBC Press Director is professional in attitude and well connected. Instrumental in creating the Press strategy and setting new goals for the business,

Commitment: 5 hours a week, increase during the event week.

FBC Editor

Punctuation perfect. Working closely with Membership Director and Press Director, the FBC Editor is responsible for all content on the highly successful FBC blog/Twitter accounts. Posting frequently with images and agreed editorial style. Excellent understanding of the fashion business, English grammar, available to attend FBC events, able to work organically with members information and with a good understanding of increasing page views and followers.

Commitment: 4 hours a week, increase during the event week.

If you are interested in one of these positions, please contact Bukie (bukie@fashionbusinessclub.net) for a chat and discuss availability. It would be a good idea for all potentials to have a smartphone and laptop.

Many thanks

FBC Team