Until Next Time: Goodbye to London Fashion Week and the International Fashion Showcase

Today marks the last day of the London 2013 International Fashion Showcase (IFS) and the end of a fashion-filled February.

Following my last post ‘A Common Thread‘ some of the organisers this week talk to me about the showcase, the global fashion industry and the importance of London Fashion Week…

ESTONIA – MARQUES TOLIVER

Marques Toliver – editor in chief, Love is The Law Magazine

How did you get involved with the Estonian showcase?
“Saintil Communications approached us to collaborate on a party because they thought Estonia’s mystical theme worked well with the aesthetic of the magazine.”

Why was it so important to present creativity in a number of forms?
“As an arts publication there are a number of ways we can celebrate the talented individuals we work with. Readers who come to our events have their own discerning tastes; some of them like new and emerging musicians while others enjoy poetry or gallery events, and some are interested because we have people like Lianne La Havas on our cover…

…Whichever way we do it we make sure it’s as authentic as possible. Fashion showcases are another way for us to reach new audiences and refine what we do. We are a niche publication with a readership of primarily artists so we have to get creative in terms of how we gather people and celebrate the work that we value.”

The first 10 readers to buy the latest copy of Love is The Law magazine will be in with the chance to win a ticket to The Spire Sessions this August. 

SERBIA – NENAD RADUJEVIC

Nenad Radujević – editor in chief – FAAR Magazine

Tell me about your experience of the showcase this year…
“Our exhibition attracted a lot of attention and extremely positive comments from experts and visitors. It was unique in that it wasn’t commercially oriented like other exhibitions, many of which didn’t use additional effects to package and present the mostly ready-to-wear clothing.”

“Through the surrealist concept and distinctive presentation our exhibition gained a feature in Italian Vogue and was among the most visited of the London 2013 International Fashion Showcase.”

“London Fashion Week is the world’s most important event for new and young designers and in these difficult times the project was extremely important for celebrating diversity through fashion and art.”

Like this post on Facebook and you could win a bundle of  LFW and IFS goodies from FAAR Magazine and the Louise Blouin Foundation.

SWITZERLAND – NOEMIE SCHWALLER

NoéMie Schwaller – editor in chief, DASH Magazine

Why did you host the Swiss showcase?
“I was asked by the Embassy of Switzerland in the UK to collaborate and host the showcase, the DASH team were very happy to take the opportunity. I’m Swiss born and bred so have a great affinity with the emerging Swiss design scene.”

How does the International Fashion Showcase help designers break the global market?
“It’s a great showcasing platform for emerging designers around the world, drawing attention to the huge variety and different cultural approaches existing in the domain of fashion.

The official stamp of the British Council and British Fashion Council makes it an internationally appealing event, which makes perfect sense in a particularly multi-cultural city like London. “

SWITZERLAND – DAVID BECK

David Beck – Project coordinator, Swiss Embassy in the UK

How has the overall response been this year and do you think the showcase has opened up opportunities for Swiss Cultural Affairs in London?
“The overall response was positive and we were short-listed by the British Fashion Council for the Emerging Talents Award which was great recognition for a country that’s not generally known for fashion design.

Showcases in this format are an opportunity to show the character of a country from a more contemporary perspective, beyond pre-existing stereotypes.”

How has the relationship with DASH Magazine affected the success of the showcase?
“Their knowledge and insight about who and what emerges from Switzerland along with their established network in the fashion industry enabled us to reach out to an audience who are usually difficult to access.”

PAKISTAN – IMRAN MAHMOOD

Imran Mahmood – Associate Professor, Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design

How has the showcase been for you?
“The response has been very good and we’ve enjoyed London’s eclectic cultural dialogue. Our focus was to represent Pakistan in the UK and we’ve succeeded first time. We enjoyed daily visits from the other embassies and gained increasing interest from buyers worldwide.”

What is the future of Pakistani fashion and what can we expect next year?
“People around the world now recognise Pakistani fashion and can identify the unique silhouettes and embellishments which have influenced many global brands and designers. We’re starting to see traditional bridal embellishments and motifs in high street stores…

…We look forward to our invitation from the British Fashion Council in 2014. We’ll bring more designers and showcase other departments such as textile design, leather footwear and accessories, jewellery design and of course fashion design.  It will be a collaborative presentation with new themes.”

 

I would love to hear your thoughts and what you did for LFW. Get in touch and don’t forget to like the post on Facebook to win some goodies!

agibson@artinfo.com

or on Twitter @XstaticGibbo / @LTBFoundation

 

   

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