Spring is nearly upon us and there’s no better way to welcome the warm weather than by marking our diaries with the up-and-coming FBC event starring Dolly Jones, Vogue.com editor and FBC board member, interviewing guest speaker Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods, next Thursday, March 25th at the Swarvoski CRYSTALLIZED™ Concept Store and Cafe.

Having moved up the Harrods ladder - Marigay went from a senior buyer for perfumery and cosmetics in 1999 to womenswear in 2005, and to fashion director in 2007. Being FBC’s next guest speaker, Marigay says: “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to be involved with FBC. The arena they provide for discussion of our fast-moving industry is an ideal platform for the development of fresh and innovative ideas.”

Marigay McKee

As an ambassador for Harrods, Marigay has built up a reputation not only in the UK but in ‘fashion-able’ and ‘beauty-full’ circles, worldwide. She’s leads more than 2,000 employees, oversees over 1,000 fashion brands and lines, and represents almost 50 per cent of the elite store’s turnover. Dolly, who is excited to introduce Marigay to FBC members next week says: “She has become an icon of the international fashion scene herself and has made one of the most high profile jobs in fashion all her own. Hopefully we’ll be able to give some insight as to what it’s like to be her to the FBC audience.”

And insightful it will be.  FBC members will get the scoop on how Marigay started off in the industry and how she has managed to achieve a retailers dream job at one of the most esteemed department stores in the world. From challenges that she’s come across - and overcome - to the new projects that lie ahead for the brand, Marigay will share that intimate world of Harrods, behind the golden ‘H.’

Alison Whelan, FBC co-founder and co-chairman says: “The Harrods brand and Marigay are a formidable buying team when it comes to fashion and beauty- and what better time is there for Dolly to interview Marigay than straight after this season’s shows? Let’s get ready for an inspiring talk about what makes Harrods tick.”

FBC at Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™

RSVP ladies and gent’s, this is definitely one FBC event not to be missed! The meeting will be held Thursday, March 25th at 3:00pm at the Swarvoski CRYSTALLIZED™ Concept Store and Cafe on Great Marlborough Street.

The Vogue.com Street Chic team will be present photographing what FBC members are wearing. You have a little over a week to plan your ensemble!

RSVP: rsvp@fashionbusinessclub.net

In association with media partner:

Today FBC members Daniela and Annette Felder of FELDER FELDER are holding their private order day for AW2010.

If you saw their London Fashion Week show, you won’t want to miss out! All prices are wholesale + VAT.

6:00 - 8:00pm at Goodley PR, 41 Dover Street, London W1

Cash, cheque and bank transfer accepted.  For more details, contact: sales@felderfelder.com

Kate Moss is on our media partner, Vogue.com’s site wearing a William Tempest dress accented with recycled mosquito netting. The image was created for Sport Relief to highlight awareness about malaria and that a £5 donation can buy a preventative net.

The image was styled by FBC’s blog editor, Rebekah Roy! Rebekah says, “I was happy to come on board as the stylist for the shoot.  It’s important to work on projects like this. Kate and her team were great, and of course I love working with William, it was a good day.”

See Rebekah at the next meeting on the 25th of March, when Vogue.com editor and FBC board member, Dolly Jones will interview Marigay McKee, fashion and beauty director at Harrods. 3:00-:4:30pm at the Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™ Concept Store and Café: membership@fashionbusinessclub.net

FBC member Lenka Isabella O’Neill has just launched a new website Tamsin.cz offering London based clothing brands to the Czech Republic . They will soon be expanding into other East European countries such as Poland

Tamsin carries Traffic People, Aftershock, Almost Famous and Yumi.

For more information contact FBC member, Lenka Isabella O’Neill at lenkanemcova@yahoo.co.uk.

On March 18th until 20th, Westfield London - in partnership with  Sunday Times Style,  is hosting The Greatest Fashion Show on Earth.

The event is hosted by Erin O’Connor alongside Chairman of The British Fashion Council and FBC member Harold Tillman.

FBC member Lee Lapthorne and his team at the Doll are producing the show. All evening proceeds go to Naomi Campbell’s Fashion For Relief Campaign and the White Ribbon Alliance to raise funds for mothers and babies in Haiti.

Two of the BFC Vogue Designer Fashion Fund short-listers will be showcasing their talent on the runway. The short-listers include Christopher Kane, Clements Ribeiro Erdem, Nicholas, Kirkwood, Marios Schwab and Richard Nicoll.

For morn information visit www.westfield.com/london

Models at Sapphires: Thea, Yulia & Beatrix

FBC members Neely Reyes and Ian Warren of Sapphires Model Management have been invited to the House of Commons in praise of their business success; they were the selected model agency for a catwalk show and celebrity portrait auction with Harvey Nichols; they’ve worked exclusively with Selfridges and the Fashion Summit 2009; they landed a global Uniqlo account placing one their high-profile models, FBC board member, Daisy de Villeneuve; and Neely was recently asked to judge a fashion design competition over London Fashion Week.

Neely Reyes & Ian Warren

Well, they are at it again and have been invited to be guest speakers in the Expert Studio at the Fashion Fusion Expo 2010. Ian says,”We’re really excited to explain to people how an ethical modelling agency works and how the fashion industry as a whole can benefit from an agency like Sapphires.”

They will be talking about how to become a model, ethics in the industry, what to avoid and watch out for when signing to an agency, and health and wellbeing of models. Neely adds, “We’re really pleased to be speaking in the Expert Studio at the Fashion Fusion Expo. As an ethical modelling agency we’re looking forward to talking to people about the reality of working in the industry, health and wellbeing, and how to avoid scams.”

Ian and Neely’s presentation is at 4:00pm on Friday the 12th of March at the Old Truman Brewery.

Tickets to the event are £10 and can be purchased through: www.fashionfusionexpo.co.uk

For details about Sapphires or to book models, please contact: 0844 844 5404 or contact@sapphiresmodels.com

Daniela & Annette Felder

Twin FBC members/designers Daniela and Annette Felder of FELDER FELDER went to Paris as part of the BFC’s London Show Rooms with an opening brunch hosted by American Vogue & Style.com’s Sarah Mower. Excellent.

Bryce Aime AW2010

FBCers Martyn Roberts and John Walford of Fashion Scout assembled the Fashion Scout Paris Showroom and FBC member Bryce Aime was amongst the ten designers on exhibit.

Giovanna Velasquez and me both wearing Magenta 8

FBCer and creative director of Magenta 8, Giovanna Velasquez exhibited for her first time at Atmosphère’s, and FBC member and fashion and fine art photographer, Vanessa Warren went along to help set up and photograph her stand - très  FBC.

The On|Off showroom at Galerie Cadain

FBC member Lee Lapthorne showed his own collection at the Haynes Showroom and had his On|Off showroom filled with twelve British designers; and Lee and his team threw their heavily attended Custard Party. Highlight: Lee rocking out big time to the live music.

Jaeger London (owned by FBC member Harold Tillman) showed at Hotel Castille and FBCers Ashish Gupta of Ashish and Jonathan Saunders also had showrooms as part of the Brits in Paris initiative.

Gabriella Piccinni, FBC member and vice president of international business for Diane von Furstenberg was in Paris…conducting international business on behalf of DvF.

Aganovich AW2010

…and last but not least FBC members Brooke Taylor and Nana Aganovich of Aganovich exhibited in Paris per usual, and a treat for us - they’ll be back in London for the next FBC meeting with our guest, Harrods‘ fashion and beauty director, Marigay McKee, who will be interviewed by FBC board member and editor of Vogue.com, Dolly Jones.

25 March 2010

3:00pm

Swarovski Crystallized

Details: membership@fashionbusinessclub.net

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

Illustration by Holly Berry

Fashion Business Club isn’t just about networking with people in the fashion industry.  Its members, each with different and ever growing agendas, are constantly evolving the creative industries as well as the social ones- including inspiring young people in the community to get involved with politics through fashion.

FBC board member Daisy de Villeneuve by Barry Lategan

Daisy de Villeneuve, an FBC board member, is on the judging panel for Think Act Vote, a campaign dedicated to motivate people in taking what they believe in and using that in the forthcoming election.  In collaboration with Komodo, an ethical fashion label, Think Act Vote will search for an earth friendly (carbon neutral) campaign t-shirt from contesting up and coming designers, artists, and illustrators.  The only credential? The t-shirt will have to include the slogan: Think Act Vote in order to get the message across to the public. Daisy de Villeneuve says: “Thick Act Vote is a fantastic way to encourage young people to get voting- if you don’t vote then you can’t complain about the result!”

And that’s the truth.  Coming from founder, Amisha Ghadiali: “If politics were a fashion label, you wouldn’t wear it. We want to use creativity to create a community around the choices we make for our future.”Amisha is also an associate director at the Ethical Fashion Forum, of which FBC co-chair Courtney Blackman sits on the board.

The deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Sunday 7th March where the winner will be announced at a launch party in April and then produced by Komodo.  As ethical hero Katherine Hamnett puts it: “Use it before you lose it.”

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.