This year’s London Fashion Week may be in the past, but charity FAD are ensuring that young designers are only moving forward, supporting brands to watch out for in the future and working hard to break the boundaries of the fashion industry. Our Fashion Director, Karine Laudort, who attended LFW gives us the low-down on this charity event, the designers it promotes and who we should be keeping our eyes on in the future.
Organised by award-winning London charity FAD, and sponsored by Natwest, ASOS and George at Asda, the 2018 Fashion Futures Final was hosted by Fashion Scout at the Freemasons’ Hall in London Fashion Week, back in September. The twenty finalists, aged 16-22, were the very youngest designers present on the London Fashion Week schedule.
Commenting on the final at London Fashion Week, Maria Alvarez, founder and chief executive of FAD, said, “They’re the youngest designers to ever show at London Fashion Week. We are giving real opportunities to people so they can progress into the fashion industry.”
Emmanuella Yiadom-Boakye, 17, and Monica Hoilett, 19, were named Joint Winners; while Caoimhe Lempriere, 17, of Lewisham was presented with the Award for Research and Development and Blythe Brunt, also 17, won the Award for Technical Innovation.
The winners were hand selected by judges including high-street veteran Jane Shepherdson CBE; Founder of Antibad Store, Agatha Lintott; Mental Health advocate and influencer, Jada Sezer; as well as directors at ASOS & Natwest.
Vanessa Spence, Design Director at sponsors ASOS said: “28 designers from ASOS have volunteered in the FAD Fashion Futures programme, and they are all amazed with the level of quality and creativity.
“FAD is all about inclusivity and encouragement. It is great to see how people who would not usually have had the opportunity get involved in the fashion industry; it is projects like this one that give you the foundation to get going in a fashion career. Fashion is changing, the world is changing and becoming more diverse; the young generation has a lot to say.“
Over the past 20 years FAD has worked with over 2,000 volunteers to give 9,600 young people, from diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds, the skills, support and opportunities they need to overcome obstacles and get ahead and make it in fashion. Campaigning for fair access, improved diversity and better representation, FAD are the charity paving the way for the future of the fashion industry. This in turn boosts UK employment and helps to close divide. FAD’s Fashion Futures award-winning, industry-focused fashion programme is definitely one to watch at each London Fashion Week for upcoming fashion talent of the next generation.
To find out more about FAD, visit their website, or Instagram, or follow the hashtags #ForAccessandDiversity and #FashionFutures2018.
Words by Karine Laudort.
