Yesterday I went to the Fashion and music debate organised by the Manchester Fashion Network ( http://www.manchesterfashion.com/ )and chaired by Award Winning Editor Eric Musgrave ( http://www.ericmusgrave.co.uk/) . The event took place at the trendy “Prince of Wales pub” in Kentish Town. The debate raised the issue of the correlations between Fashion, Music and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
The pub was filled with a fantastic turn out of music and fashion enthusiasts keen to get this debate going.
Amongst the panel were Tom Stubbs- Sunday Times stylist and writer, Juls Dawson – GioGoi UK menswear Head of Sales, Steve Walter – EBTM music inspired fashion Chief operating Officer and Stephen Craig – CEO of All Saints.
Each panellist expressed their views on the similarities and differences between the most popular forms of our time, how has the continuous and inseparable relationship between the two formed? Is one more reliant on the other?
Overall it was an extremely interesting discussion and lots of important points were raised, especially with regards to the evolution of fashion and financial constraints for young emerging designers.
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Stephen Craig, CEO of All Saints, expressed the view that “If you’re good then you’re good, therefore as a designer will make it”. I totally disagreed with this point as having worked with so many amazing and talented emerging designers I can guarantee you this is not the case. Financial barriers and lack of celebrity recognition and press coverage are all amongst the difficulties experienced by new designers. All those elements are crucial these days within this competitive fashion industry, making it hard for emerging independent designers to get a breakthrough!! It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you don’t have good press or a celebrity giving you the opportunity to showcase your stuff by simply wearing it, then people don’t really give you time. This is why brands such as TOPSHOP have hired Kate Moss. If somebody else designed exactly the same collection as Kate Moss, the sales would be alarmingly less!
The pub was filled with a fantastic turn out of music and fashion enthusiasts keen to get this debate going.
Amongst the panel were Tom Stubbs- Sunday Times stylist and writer, Juls Dawson – GioGoi UK menswear Head of Sales, Steve Walter – EBTM music inspired fashion Chief operating Officer and Stephen Craig – CEO of All Saints.
Each panellist expressed their views on the similarities and differences between the most popular forms of our time, how has the continuous and inseparable relationship between the two formed? Is one more reliant on the other?
Overall it was an extremely interesting discussion and lots of important points were raised, especially with regards to the evolution of fashion and financial constraints for young emerging designers.
.
Stephen Craig, CEO of All Saints, expressed the view that “If you’re good then you’re good, therefore as a designer will make it”. I totally disagreed with this point as having worked with so many amazing and talented emerging designers I can guarantee you this is not the case. Financial barriers and lack of celebrity recognition and press coverage are all amongst the difficulties experienced by new designers. All those elements are crucial these days within this competitive fashion industry, making it hard for emerging independent designers to get a breakthrough!! It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you don’t have good press or a celebrity giving you the opportunity to showcase your stuff by simply wearing it, then people don’t really give you time. This is why brands such as TOPSHOP have hired Kate Moss. If somebody else designed exactly the same collection as Kate Moss, the sales would be alarmingly less!
From Left: Ady ( http://www.urbanfashionhouse.com/ ) , Steve Walters ( EBTM- Music Inspired Fashion) and moiSo how does a large establishment such as All Saints stay inline and constantly come up with amazing designs and evolve with the fashion industry? Stephen answered this very simply, he expressed he hired young designers who get smashed on the weekend and come into work on Monday still hangover but bring him amazing designs by the afternoon. In other words hiring young fresh designers with lots of energy and social time.
Sadie Frost and Jemima French were amongst the guests in attendance. I caught up with Sadie to discuss the Fashion Industry and her label Frost French and what exactly went wrong with the label? She was very honest, lovely and open and had a lot of passion. She stressed the fact that her celebrity status did not save her company and the input of investors altered the control she and Jemima had over the company and now they are starting from scratch with several private investors. I remember reading about a similar scenario in Richard Branson’s autobiography.
Sadie Frost, Myself and Jemima FrenchI will most def be attending the forthcoming event …Let the debates continue!!!!!!
Links:MFN – http://www.manchesterfashion.com/
Eric Musgrave – http://www.ericmusgrave.co.uk/
Gio Goi – http://www.gio-goi.com/
Different Day – http://www.differentday.co.uk/
The Love Genevieve Fashion Rock Greeting Card!
Visit: http://www.lovegenevieve.co.uk/
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