Fashion Business Club

FBC member and ethical jewellery designer Amisha Ghadiali and FBC co-founder and MD of Forward PR Courney Blackman met with and advising various businesses at the Ethical Fashion Forum’s Excellence in Ethical Fashion Training Event.

The event brought together experts in fashion business and sustainability to meet with businesses for an intensive day of training. Courtney, Amisha and their fellow experts covered market and sales success, business and financial success, and excellence in sustainable sourcing.

FBC co-founder Courtney Blackman, and FBC member Amisha Ghadiali are lending their expertise to the Ethical Fashion Forum’s (EFF) Excellence in Ethical Fashion training day on Friday the 10th of December.

The EFF is bringing together experts in fashion business and sustainability to develop an intensive day of training. The event will cover market and sales success, business and financial success, and excellence in sustainable sourcing.   

Courtney and Amisha will be taking part in the Meet the Experts session, whereby 19 of the UK’s foremost experts in fashion and sustainability will be available for one to one advice sessions.

Courtney, who specialises in fashion marketing and PR is the founder and managing director of London’s Forward PR and is an EFF board member. Courtney will be on hand to talk to attendees about building or increasing press and media presence and profiling their brands.

Amisha is an ethical jewellery designer and former associate director of the EFF. Previously responsible for social media and promotion, Amisha played an overall strategic role within the organisation. Amisha now works with fashion brands helping them understand the complete picture when it comes to bringing sustainability into their businesses, and advises them on how to increase their presence in the media and online.

For more information on attending the event, click here.

Fashion Business Club would like to wish FBC member Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council a hearty congratulations. Harold has been awarded with an honourary CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by the Princess Royal in recognition of his services to the fashion industry.

Harold was awarded his medal at Buckingham Palace on the 25th of November and later held a reception at the newly refurbished Savoy where he commented, ‘It is a real honour to be recognised in this way. The UK is home to some of the world’s leading fashion brands and I am proud to be associated with a number of them through the British Fashion Council and directly with Jaeger and Aquascutum. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to acquire these two wonderful British businesses with true heritage and be part of their revival.’

FBC members present at The Savoy celebration included Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, Lauretta Roberts, digital development director of WGSN, and FBC co-founder & MD of Forward PR, Courtney Blackman.

Forward PR, the fashion communication agency launched by FBC co-founder Courtney Blackman,  is delighted to welcome British designer label, Beautiful Soul into their stable of fashion clients. Beautiful Soul is a luxury womenswear label and has gained recognition for its creative and intelligent approach to design.

The brainchild of FBC member Nicola Woods Beautiful Soul recycles unique textiles from around the world, and has made a name for itself through its up-cycling of vintage Japanese kimonos into jackets, dresses, coats and boleros – many of them interchangeable and multi-functional, with a focus on garment longevity. New for the SS2011season, Beautiful Soul has introduced menswear to its growing offering, has re-branded with a new visual identity and has created an exclusive film, inviting everyone into the Beautiful Soul world.

The collection includes a special, retro bird print collaboration with textiles designer Polly Hope, and organic luxury fabrics complement the colour palette of purple, mustard, pink, blue and grey. The print allows for wholesale orders, sitting comfortably alongside the rest of the brands exclusive designs. The brand’s strict zero-waste policy means a range of unique corsets has been constructed from leftover fabrics.

FBC would like to congratulate FBC member Mark Bage, creative director of Sarah Coggles, on a double win at the 2010 Drapers Awards. No stranger to awards over the last several years, Sarah Coggles, the York-based boutique that launched in 1976, was shortlisted in five different categories, so it was not surprising that two trophies went home with Mark. Mark and his team won Buyer/Buyer Team of the Year and Independent Retailer of the Year.

Mark says, “We are very proud to have won the two main Drapers Awards. We were awarded ‘Buying Team of the Year’ and the overall winner of the night with ‘Independent Retailer of the Year’. It is such an amazing honour to have won so many in one night as the event is considered to be the industry’s Fashion Oscars.”

Mark and his team accepting both awards

The event was held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel and several FBC members were there to help celebrate 20 years of the awards. Matches commercial director, Frances Card; director of RAH Productions, Helen Puxley and associate director of EdenCanCan, Jonathan Kirkby were there, and table 17 was especially crowded with FBC members: Courtney Blackman, MD of Forward PR & FBC co-chair; Lauretta Roberts, digital development director at WGSN; Harold Tillman CBE, chairman of the British Fashion Council and our guest interviewee for the 25th, fashion retail consultant, creative advisor and trend forecaster, Yasmin Sewell.

See Lauretta Roberts interview Yasmin Sewell on Thursday the 25^th of November at Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™. Contact: membership@fashionbusinessclub.net

Today kicks off The Drapers Fashion Week. What initially started as a two-day event, The Drapers Fashion Summit, has now been extended to four days of insight, information and inspiration. Fashion Business Club (FBC) is proud to be a part of it and here’s what’s in store:

Monday, 15 November 2010 – WGSN Live

FBC member Lauretta Roberts is the digital development director of WGSN and today offers an exclusive trend day with WGSN’s global experts in fashion and style to identify and shape buying decisions for 2011, providing essential insight for strategy and exclusive consumer and product trends for next season.

Alice, Bunty, Courtney, Dolly, John, Mark, Harold

Tuesday, 16 and Wednesday 17 November 2010 – The Drapers Fashion Summit

The Drapers Fashion Summit is being held at London’s May Fair Hotel, with two days of visionary speakers from across the fashion world. Fashion’s elite will be joining together in a creative forum to debate and discuss the key themes and issues that are having an impact on the industry today. Along with Mary Portas, Ed Vaizey and Caroline Rush, FBC members who are speaking include Alice Stone, founder and director of Lily and Lionel; Bunty Stokes, country sales manager for Vente-Privée; Courtney Blackman, FBC co-founder and managing director of Forward PR; Dolly Jones, FBC board member and editor of VOGUE.COM; John Buni, managing director of Tailor Made London; Mark Bage, creative director of Coggles, and FBC member Harold Tillman CBE, chairman of the British Fashion Council and owner of Aquascutum and Jaeger will also be contributing. “It’s the Summit’s 10th anniversary and it’s fantastic that so many FBC members are lending their time and expertise to help make it great.” Courtney Blackman, FBC co-founder & co-chairman.

Thursday, 18 November 2010 – Fashion Study Tour

As one of the fashion world’s most influential cities, this is an opportunity to take in some of London’s most inspiring stores with WGSN guides.

For more details, visit: The Drapers Fashion Week

FBC is very pleased to have been an official partner of the inaugural WGSN Global Fashion Awards. The awards were conceptualised by FBC member Lauretta Roberts, WGSN’s digital development director, and executed to perfection by a WGSN team from around the globe.

The awards ceremony took place on the 18th floor at the Waldorf Astoria in New York on the 10th of November. Hosted by Nigel Barker, one of our proudest moments was when FBC member Harold Tillman CBE was recognised for his 40 plus years in the industry with the John Rocha designed, Waterford crystal trophy marked with Outstanding Contribution to Fashion. The award was much deserved as Harold is chairman of the British Fashion Council and owns two of Britain’s most iconic heritage labels: Jaeger and Aquascutum.

Nigel Barker, Harold Tillman and Barney’s Simon Doonan

FBC blog editor and celebrity fashion stylist, Rebekah Roy was responsible for nominating her longtime client, London-based fashion designer, William Tempest in the category of best Emerging Brand or Retailer. With a shortlist that included strong brands from around the world, William came out on top and won the award. William also was charged with dressing FBC co-founder Courtney Blackman, who wore a one-of-a-kind William Tempest dress to the awards ceremony, then changed into a piece from his SS11 collection for the after party. Courtney was representing the Global Fashion Awards through her PR agency, Forward PR and was there in the capacity of official FBC envoy.

Sarah Curran (2nd from right) with her team: Luisa de Paula, Fiona McIntosh, Jean-Marc Bouhelier and Lauren Stevenson

The winners of the Global Fashion Awards were selected by an expert panel of judges, made up the most influential people in fashion and style, including FBC board member and editor of VOGUE.COM, Dolly Jones, who was present at the ceremony in New York along with FBC members Sarah Curran, founder & CEO of my-wardrobe.com and executive headhunter, Orlando Martins of Oresa Limted.

Congratulations to Lauretta Roberts for creating a truly amazing event. We’ll look forward to the 2011 Global Fashion Awards!

Visit the GFA website for full details and results from the evening: WGSN Global Fashion Awards.

See Lauretta on the 25th of November at Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™ for the next FBC meeting, where she will interview the legendary Yasmin Sewell. For details contact: membership@fashionbusinessclub.net or press@fashionbusinessclub.net

In just over a month FBC co-founder and co-chairman Courtney Blackman has managed to organise several fashion shows through her PR agency Forward PR, an FBC meeting featuring FBC board member and VOGUE.COM’s Dolly Jones interviewing Laura Bailey, be hailed style icon and if all this was not enough, she is about to moderate a debate called Fashion Meets Tradition for SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS on the 20th of October before flying off to New York for the WGSN Global Fashion Awards (FBC member Lauretta Roberts‘ initiative). To describe Courtney as busy is surely an understatement.

The discussion will include contributions from authoritative guest speakers such as FBC member and fashion & celebrity stylist, Rebekah Roy, fashion designer Maria Grachvogel, Swarovski’s director of trend and design, Ute Shumacher and Rasha Khouri from Dia Boutique.

“I’m really looking forward to moderating the Fashion Meets Tradition with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS seminar at Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™. We have the most amazing panel that spans the globe with a designer from London, a manufacturer from Dubai and a top fashion editor from Lebanon, and a host of media is being flown in from the Middle East to mix with the best of London’s fashion industry. It’s a hugely important event that will explore culture, history and how traditional wear it is being brought to life in the contemporary world through modern design and embellishment. I can’t wait!” – Courtney Blackman

The seminar follows the private view launch party of the stunning Jawaher (Jewel) exhibition the evening before on 19th of October, featuring a fashion spectacular alongside an exhibition of creations from global designers. FBC’s venue partner, Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™, run by FBC member Stine Brogaard, will be lavishly decorated in styles reminiscent of an Arabian palace with an exotic Bedouin tent. Opulent mirrors, mosaics and drapes bedecked with crystals will complement interactive floor media, and sensory reactive crystals will further add to the enchanting, ultra-luxurious atmosphere.

Interested in attending the preview evening on the 19th or the seminar on the 20th, or both? Please contact Chloe Wheywell at SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS: chloe.wheywell@swarovski.com

We have our very own style icon at FBC! Founder & managing director of Forward PR and co-founder and co-director of FBC, Courtney Blackman can often be spotted wearing new designers like Ada Zanditon, Magenta 8, William Tempest, Beautiful Soul and Jasper Garvida. As a fashion PR she’s in the know! Check out Courtney’s style on  Access-Fashion.com

Photo on Access-Fashion.com above by FBC photographer: Venetia van Hoorn Alkema

Neely Reyes (centre) and Ian Warren (far right) with models and staff

FBC‘ers turned out in their fashion finery on Wednesday night as fellow members and managing partners of Sapphires Model Management hosted their London launch party in the Billiard Room of the Sanderson.

The event was packed thick with with the industry’s finest from Sapphires’ Neely Reyes and Ian Warren to models, fashion stylists and editors, film directors, designers and artists.

Daisy de Villeneve & Neely Reyes

Amongst the guests were FBC members: Rita Nazareno, FBC membership director & special projects manager of S.C. Vizcarra; Daisy de Villeneuve, FBC board member, illustrator, designer & writer; Courtney Blackman, FBC co-chair and MD of Forward PR; Giovanna Velasquez, founder & creative director of Magenta 8; Rebekah Roy, FBC blog edior, fashion stylist & creative director; Daniella Steadman, FBCtv’s new producer and executive producer of fashion & beauty at Love; Frances Card, merchandise manager at Matches & Drapers blogger; Sam Fearn, MD of Fearnhurst PR & founder of Fashion Press Week; Martyn Roberts & John Walford of Vauxhall Fashion Scout; myself, Anne Look, fashion stylist and blogger; and Rachael Sardelich, head of fashion & beauty at Morgans Hotels.

Rebekah Roy & John Walford

The two-hour event, commemorating the opening of Sapphires’ Soho office, spilled over into nearly five hours as guests chatted to background music mixed by internationally renowned DJ, Jeffrey Louis-Reed and sipped cocktails made from Aussie Spirits’ Vodka O & Kinky Rum, and Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Guests countered the cocktails with Mojito, chocolate-banana and coconut-lime cupcakes from Sweetie Darling’s (the Mojito cupcake was possibly the best). The VIP gift bags were overflowing with beauty products, drinks, sumptuous vouchers, a lovely handwritten scroll from Neely and Ian, and even clothes!

DJ Jeffrey Louis-Reed with Anne Look & Rachael Sardelich

Neely and Ian were delighted at the overwhelming turnout. “We’re very grateful to have the support of so many leading industry figures,” says Neely, “Sapphires’ move to Soho is a big step for the company and we can’t wait to see where this new adventure takes us.”

Congratulations, Neely & Ian!