London Uprising: Fifty Fashion Designers, One City

To begin with I am Lebanese by birth but I moved to Paris as a child and studied there up until university, where I did communications.  I was exposed to a lot of art and culture growing up and I always gravitated towards fashion. After graduating I became an intern at Pierre Cardin, like many people in fashion that intern at design houses.
I got married and moved away from Paris for my husband's work, and we have two children together.  Some years later we ended up moving to London and when my children were older I went back to do a bit of studying and to get involved in a few different fashion businesses and ventures. I realised there was a definite need to help and support emerging designers in London, so I researched this and ended up establishing the Fashion Trust, an organisation whose aim is to offer sponsorship and business mentorship to British-based designers.

I have been involved in fashion for many years and I know, first hand, the struggle to make a business in fashion work.  Because of this I realised there was a need to have a support network, and I feel that is where I am strongest to be able to help others.

Firstly, I noticed that there was not a book on the market that really surveyed the fashion landscape right now. I did a lot of research into this and then I approached Sarah Mower, who immediately came on board and agreed to edit the book with me.  It has taken about two years altogether.

I guess the project appealed to so many people because it is quite a unique idea, and like I said, there was nothing really out there like this.

I have worked with many of the designers before but ultimately it comes from a place of respect.  I think the designers know we will respect both them and their stories, so they trust us. We have put a lot of effort and love into this book, so I think it shows.

This has been such a unique opportunity and we wanted to do justice to the designers’ worlds, that which is behind closed doors.  It all had to be executed very sensitively, so working with great photographers was essential.  The results, I feel, are a true glimpse into each and every world these designers inhabit.

Yes, and I hope the readers feel like this too.  One of the reasons this book exists is to give a greater insight into the mind and world of a designer, so that the audience can have a greater understanding and appreciation of their craft and creativity. It is very rare they would give such close access to their world, and we are immensely grateful to all of them for allowing us in.

For starters, I hope it raises more awareness for these designers’ creativity and businesses, and in turn that, I hope, will be a positive contribution to the industry in general.  Anything that raises awareness for our designers is a good thing.  I also hope that this book will live on as a record, but can also be developed into other projects in the future, maybe more books.

You know, all industries have positive and negative aspects, but I think fashion is one that is always striving for positive change.  The industry has addressed many serious issues head on, and even though there is some way still to go, at least it is working in a good direction.  I think we need to remember that it is a creative industry at its core, so yes, I hope the book does give that insight for the reader.

Historically, some aspects of fashion have been very elitist, like haute couture – it was once a very closed and closely guarded world, where attending journalists couldn’t even bring a pencil into the show for fear they would sketch the design and copy it.  Ultimately, fashion – and clothing – is something that affects all of us, as we all need to dress, whether for protection, for warmth, for society, for work, etc. It can also project a message of how we see ourselves in the world and how we want other people to see us.
I don’t feel traditional elitism is the same as it used to be because we live in an extremely open and connected world now.  You are right that London does have a rich history, a place where both the high and the low have long existed next to each other, sometimes fighting, sometimes sitting comfortably together.  It is strange and interesting, but it’s also something ‘very London’, and very British.  I think this is what has inspired so much creativity.

Absolutely, not only when doing this book, but also in doing my work as chair of the Fashion Trust.  I find many of the designers I work with are interested and supporting of their fellow designers and want to see everyone being successful.  It is a very healthy, creative environment.

London, like other fashion cities, is unique.  It is a great centre of creative learning and a great launch pad for designers, and in recent years' it’s stature as a commercial destination has strengthened.  Creativity and commerce coexist quite nicely together here.

There are many more names that we could have included, but it was not possible.  We also focused largely on womenswear.  I would like to do more books, so I definitely think there is scope there.  In my work with the Fashion Trust I am working with emerging designers all the time.  We have just announced our latest recipients of the trust for 2017.  They included Edeline Lee, Georgia Hardinge, Isa Arfen, Sharon Wauchob, Teatum Jones, Eudon Choi, Fyodor Golan, Huishan Zhang, Marques’Almeida, Osman and Rejina Pyo.  More names to watch in the future of our fashion landscape in London.