Best of British Fashion
Every year, Fashion Fringe aims to find an outstanding, young, British-based designer to receive the Fashion Fringe award. Selected from four finalists by international committee, the winner receives more than £100,000, plus expert mentoring, business support, PR and legal advice to create their own fashion label. For the past two years, Tom Ford has chaired the selection committee, and this year Donatella Versace steps up to the plate.
This kind of ‘fashion heavyweight’ support pays dividends. To date, six Fashion Fringe finalists – Basso & Brooke and Sinha-Stanic from 2004, Erdem and Modernist from 2005 and Gavin Douglas from 2006 and last year’s winner Aminaka Wilmont – have all hosted shows at London Fashion Week, and now run successful international businesses.
Before the final selection, four finalists receive intensive mentoring from a team of key international figures at all levels of the industry, including Jonathan Akeroyd, the CEO of Alexander McQueen; Gail Sackloff, formerly of Saks Fifth Avenue; and Claudia Croft, the fashion features director of the Sunday Times Style magazine. The designers work on preparing their capsule collection which is shown as part of the official London Fashion Week (14th-19th September). During this time, Fashion Fringe provides them with studio space, technical assistance and funds.
Covent Garden will host the selection process, judging and mentoring program, as well, of course, as the final catwalk show in September.
With its rich history in fashion, style and culture, Covent Garden shares many of the guiding principles of Fashion Fringe from supporting the vitality and energy of London to a commitment to nurturing the talent and creativity of future designers.
“Fashion Fringe is about modern London and all its diversities, but it takes place in one of the most historic cities in the world. I am very happy that we are able to show in such an iconic space as Covent Garden, which is known throughout the world for its superb Georgian architecture and ongoing programme of entertainment and events” said Colin McDowell, Creative Director of Fashion Fringe.
Go By a Secret Path, LF Markey, Sarah Easom and William Tempest are the four labels in the running to win this year’s prestigious award.
www.fashionfringe.co.uk
www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
