Designer Simeon Farrar to talk at 'The Industry' meeting

Following on from this season’s highly publicised stunt at Somerset House, fellow collaborator, key stockist and Industry member, Donna Ida Thornton will sit down with Simeon at the prestigious Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design on 23rd October to talk members through the fine line between fashion and art, the importance of celebrity endorsement and the pithy sketch that changed his business model forever.

“Simeon is one of Britain’s most exciting artists – his distinctive ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist has earned him a cult following that most designers would kill for – Cara is his biggest fan!” explains Donna. “I’m looking forward to sharing his rise to fame exclusively with The Industry.”

Without a single fashion qualification on his CV, he’s pinned two fashion labels to his name and won the British Fashion Council’s coveted NEWGEN award three times over. Consequently some of the most sought after stores in the world came knocking, including Harrods, Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Collette and designer denim retailer, Donna Ida.

Donna, the woman known for turning a single Chelsea boutique into a Coutts-backed multi-million pound empire, will look at how Simeon’s inimitable design sensibility has won him the favour of some of fashion’s most discerning buyers.

Operationally, how easy has it been to run a luxury fashion label, a t-shirt line and an art studio all at once? Are high-mark up businesses the key to profitability? Can celebrity endorsement be quantified into sales figures? And in a time of economic fragility, is a multi-pronged business plan the recession-proof strategy of the future?

“Donna’s eponymous boutiques have stocked my label for a long time and recently we worked together to transform old pairs of jeans into works of art,” says Simeon. “She not only supports, but really understands my unique positioning in the marketplace. Donna is an exceptional businesswoman and it’s an honour to be interviewed by her.”

The Industry exists to unite and evolve the global fashion community. It facilitates unique thought, powerful collaboration and innovative experience through rare interactions with industry icons at world-class venues. The Industry connects the very people who are shaping the future of fashion and it operates as a vetted members organisation, allowing for select media to attend events

The Industry