Fashion fringe

Fashion fringe is a search to find the talented designer in UK. 2005 is the second year of fashion fringe. Created in 2004, the challenge is to re-invigorate the fashion industry in this country
Fashion fringe is now open for all British residents. Applicants have to hand in a collection of drawing of Spring / Summer 2005. The deadline this year is 25th May 2005.

Fashion fringe is a nine months project. Ten semi-finalists will be invited down to London and interviewed by a panel of fashion industry professionals. The four lucky finalists will be announced at the end of June. They will then spend the next two months in London working on their collection.

Fashion fringe will provide them with funds, studio spaces and technical assistant to create a collection which will be shown during the London fashion week at September. And finally the winners will receive 10000 pounds cash and business support. The Fashion fringe roadshow is hosted by the fashion mecca Harvey Nichols. It took place in five major cities in UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Dublin.

In the Birmingham stop on 3rd May, Colin McDowell, the creative director of Fashion fringe and Julien MacDonald, fashion designer have talked about their stories and encouraged all potential designers to apply for the Fashion fringe.

“You have to work very hard. Producing your unique product and make everyone knows you and recognizes you. Once the celebrities dress your designs, everyone will buy it. And the business will pay you top price and you can have your celebrity life. Thousands of students graduate every year but not everyone could go to Royal college of Art and work for Chanel like me” MacDonald said.

McDowell added, “We are looking for people who have “fire” inside their heart. You have to be ambitious, not just want to be the member of design team of Topshop or Marks & Spencer. Once you are success, your designs will be shown in Vogue and all magazines in the world”.