A decade of corporate design

  London has long been a breeding ground for some of the most creative and exciting voice of fashion, but these skills do not necessarily go hand in hand with our business. Thank you to a growing network of support, however, the young designers of the capital are in a position with one foot firmly in the scale of fashion. The Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE) is one such initiative that celebrates a decade of success.

Mary Katrantzou, JW Anderson, Erdem, Peter Pilotto, Simone Rocha, siblings ... These are just a handful of the 245 emerging designers whose center company has worked since its inception. First assumed the non-profit initiative to finance the mayor's office and opened in a given time by the London College of Fashion (LCF) to help a generation of talented designers who have been confused by a company space.

Now with Wendy Malem, an expert in the field, as a director, served by an advisory board - including Sarah Mower, Jane Shepherdson and Frances Corner - the center has a combined turnover of ￡ 20 million and generates its own revenues from international consulting projects. The balanced mix of industry insiders will help explain its success rate - 85 percent of graduates are still in business, statistics more than double the national average for start-ups.

There are three levels of participation - "market access", "Pioneer" and "business" - from the induction of advanced development. "When you start, do not really think like a business," admits the beneficiaries of funds Topshop NewGen initiative to Sam Cotton, half of Agi & Sam, who are of "pioneer" passed on "risk" and.

Malem described "venture" as "a program for the development of growth", stated that the board designer, that they believe that they add value, in search of those who choose to meet three criteria. "Direction of the design, entrepreneurship and good personality "In addition to the continued support of the team, the two-year program provides a studio space at the headquarters Hackney with access to facilities such as screen printing and laser cutting systems, legal support firm Olswang CFL - ￡ 250,000 per year investment - and public spending well paid.

Christopher de Vos of Peter Pilotto cited the "incredible machine", they may have access during their term of office before they could make their own, while menswear designer, James Long, said the lawyers CFE treated with a serious problem of copyright and in his Set Location VAT and international brand. He also received the coveted "fashion forward" menswear, following close cooperation with Malem on his business plan.

More compelling tangible benefits, it is also networking with other designers that are priceless. By Holly Fulton: "It's nice to people in the same position on each bounce and ask how things have" this store has not paid me, have you discussed with them? '. "She admits that" creative people are not familiar with the business side of things. "So if universities offer a fashion firm ground for aspiring designers? There is a matter of debate in the industry, but the general consensus among the elders of the CFE is" no. "

Long insists that college should be a time to "fully indulge creative," while supporters of workplace learning: "This is what is so exciting about fashion - you learn so much the first day you enter the industry and you never really stop learning. "

But while Mary Katrantzou admits, "if it is your own business, you learn very quickly," she would have preferred knowledge and Thomas Tait would certainly welcome a degree of preparation: "I think it is very important for universities offer students the very competitiveness of the industry - it's that throat! "

Malem recognizes that UK universities could do more, a perfect "bare minimum" graduates would know that cost her clothes. "Trade has no business in the UK," she said. "You go to America, and they act ideas for breakfast."

As the industry changes, so do the demands on the designers and Malem is pleased to launch a new program of investment readiness. "This was our dream for a long time," she said - and it is not only that the woman who made the dream a reality fashion happens to his own life?