Hackney’s Fashion Hub Trust

Hay guys and dolls! Yes it’s been a while since sjfashions last blog post and so we thought it would be a good idea to inform you of a new project that is to promote fashion in Hackney – East London. Hackney Fashion Hub Trust intends to support local fashion designers to start-up their own business as many designers tend to not know where to start. The trust is to offer mentoring services to help entrepreneurs in the fashion industry with the opportunity to liaise with local work-space providers to ensure fashion designers get the support and guidance they need for their business.

Besides ‘Hackney Fashion Hub Trust’ there is the ‘Hackney Fashion Hub’ which is to get the local community into employment with jobs soon to be on offer such as sales staff, manufacturing, stitching and alterations, catering and hospitality, security and maintenance. Meg Hillier MP of Hackney South and Shoreditch stated: “This is an exciting opportunity for Hackney and the development will provide jobs for local people as well as opportunities for new business”.

At present the Hackney Fashion Hub is still in development and hopefully should be open soon. However, below is a timetable outline in regards to the development process of this new and exciting project so far.

• 18 October 2012 – Consultation Starts
• 25 October 2012 – First consultation exhibition
• Winter 2012/13 – Detailed plans being developed
• Feb/Mar 2013 – Second round of consultation
• May 2013 – Submission of proposals
• Summer 2013 – Hackney Council’s statutory consultation period
• October 2013 – Hackney Council grants planning permission for the plans
• 2014 – Work starts on site

If you would like to find out more information please visit Hackney Fashion Hub or contact info@hackneyfashionhub.com

Young Designer – Tumisola Ladega

Monochain Collection August 2013 – Black and White

Monochain Collection August 2013 – Black and White

sjfashions has discovered a highly creative and inspirational young designer called Tumisola Ladega who is only 15 years old studying textiles and art for her GCSE’s. Tumisola is one of very few that know what they want to do from the age of 15 as most people tend to change their mind in regards to careers, which is natural. So, it was no surprise when this young designer told people she wanted to do just that, design. Tumisola expressed that when she would share her passion with her pairs and other people they would: ” laugh and say I would grow out of it, that it is really hard to become successful in the fashion industry; but I am 100% positive I want to be a fashion designer”.

Tumisola wants her brand ‘Tumiila’ to be a house hold name internationally and dreams of having her work showcased at London Fashion Week and Mercedes-Benz New York. As Tumisola develops her crafts she hopes to be able to style celebrities and get her name out in the world of fashion in order for more opportunities arise. Tumisola Lodega says she get’s her inspiration from: ” everything – whether it’s a plug socket or blinds, anything can make a beautiful garment”. Tumisola has a diverse range of creations from ready to wear couture to avant guard whilst using a range of patterns and prints such as African wax.

Tumisola has showcased her work at high-profile fashion events such as African Fashion Week London 2013, Lagos Fashion and Design Week 2013, FDC Designer Awards 2013 and came 2nd place at the Young Designer Awards 2011. Tumisola Lodega hopes to get into three of the top fashion colleges/universities in the UK such as Central St Martins College of Arts and Design.

Monochain Collection August 2013 – Black and White

Fashion Design Students – Untapped Trendsetters

It seems hard for many creative, talented and fashion savvy student designers to get their work noticed in the fashion industry. All their hard work of studying fashion design (any discipline) seems to be quite slim after completing their Further and Higher Education courses to aspire to be designers. The fashion industry seems to be a very ‘clicky’ or in other words “who you know” industry and well if you don’t know anyone – it can be a tricky business to get into.

The CEO of sjfashions  had studied journalism (other side of the coin) at West London University and went on to intern at fashion magazines and PR companies which later on lead to completing a journalism training course based in North London – which was fabulous.

However, finding it difficult to establish herself in the  fashion media industry she has now started her own venture after realising that you can’t wait on something that may or may not happen. The CEO learnt from entrepreneurs such as Oprah Winfrey, Ozwald Boateng – African Fashion Designer and Jacqueline Gold – Ann Summers Chief Exec that “you have to make things happen for yourself” and make sure that you “love what you do”.

Moreover, it  is noticeable that there is a lack of diversity in the fashion design industry as a whole when it comes to BAME groups (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Groups) in regards to their own unique designs being showcased.

To our knowledge the high-fashion and high-street fashion industry have captured a lot of inspired designs that originate from other parts of the world such as Asia and Africa. Yet, the BAME groups are an untapped market considering they make up a good percentage of the population in the UK and are influential cultures when it comes to music and food but yet there is a lack of representation when it comes to following a career into the world of fashion after education.

The only representation sjfashions has been aware of is at specified events such as Africa Fashion Week (London) which is marginalized – set aside from mainstream fashion events such as London Fashion Week, London Fashion Weekend and etc.

After all, didn’t the London 2012 Olympics showcase how Diverse Britain has become? yes – therefore this should be showcased in the fashion design industry too. Furthermore, the CEO feels that it is the fashion students who are the future designers and like everyone else are dictated to by the fashion industry as passive purchasers in regards to what the seasonal trends are which subconsciously is telling consumers what to buy.

It is time for you to think about how you can make things happen for yourselves such as setting up your own business and to show and let the industry know who the real trendsetters are.