This year's Fashion Fringe panel is made up of 5 hugely respected industry professionals across the following categories;
• Design: Roland Mouret • Industry: Claudia Schiffer • Retail: Anne Pitcher, Selfridges • Technical: Roy Peach, London College of Fashion (represented by longstanding Fashion Fringe Mentor Angela Quaintrell) • Media: Bel Jacobs, Metro
On choosing the 11 finalists, the panel commented as follows:
Roland Mouret said; “My second time as part of the panel and it is very rewarding to question what is the future of fashion and how Fashion Fringe can make a strong contribution to it.”
Claudia Schiffer said; “We had to distil the candidates down to a shortlist of creative & technical people who inspired us. The aim was to find 10 but we finished with 11 who tick all the boxes – and I'm looking forward to seeing more of their work.”
Anne Pitcher, MD, Selfridges said; “British design continues to excite and inspire me. This year we have an amazing group in Fashion Fringe and have 11 Semi-Finalists – the first time ever.”
Angela Quaintrell, Fashion Fringe Mentor, said; “There was an amazing buzz in the room which was caused by the creativity & freshness of the applicants; I can't wait for the next stage.”
Bel Jacobs, Metro, said; “We had a stunning array of talent in front of us today. It was so hard to choose the 11 semi-finalists but it was also a great testament to young British talent. And what a great team to judge with! Lots of passion. It's wonderful to be part of Fashion Fringe this year and to contribute to the development of new talent.'
Colin McDowell, Creative Director, said “There was an energy but a seriousness in our choices this year because, as several members of the jury who have worked with us before have said, this is potentially the strongest line up we have had in our eight years.”
The final 3 candidates will be chosen after a demanding board interview, at a party on Tuesday 24 May. The selected candidates will then be given studio space throughout the summer to work on their Fashion Fringe capsule collections for London Fashion Week in September.
One designer will be selected as the overall winner by the judging panel and will receive a 2-year development package to set up and sustain their business; which includes a mixture of cash, business advice, mentoring and a fully equipped studio at Somerset House.
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