London Fashion Week is undoubtedly one of the biggest fashion events in the global fashion landscape. Beyond just promoting styles and trends, the event takes initiatives to bring drive progressive and positive changes in the industry as a whole. The Positive Fashion Exhibition, which was showcased at London Fashion Week in September 2019 was the initial step in this direction and the February 2020 fashion week took the initiative a step further.
The Positive Fashion Exhibition, which was re-launched by the British Fashion Council, showcased new brands and immersive experiences for the guests, with compelling stories woven around the foundational pillars of sustainability, craftsmanship and ethics. The event brought together innovators, designers, and businesses to narrate their brand stories and demonstrate how they craft their products. Beyond just telling stories, it aimed to educate and inspire the audience on the positive changes within the fashion industry as a whole.
The initiative aspires to drive a positive change through the adoption of industry best practices and better future business decisions. Essentially, Positive Fashion imbibes three strategic pillars in its core–
Environment- Emphasizes environmental and business governance to ensure a sustainable future for the domain
People- Represents the people who are a part of the industry, from product makers to students, models and staff
Community and craftsmanship- Supports the skills, talent and elements of craftsmanship which serve as the foundation of the fashion industry and have a positive impact on the local communities
Another BFC initiative that was a key part of the event was NEWGEN, which supports the emerging talent in the industry and aspires to build global fashion brand leaders of the future. The scheme offers financial support coupled with the opportunities to showcase their talent and polish their business skills to future-proof their brands. Further, it delivers personalized mentoring and training sessions to assist the chosen designers for developing their skills and business infrastructure.
NEWGEN is open to menswear, womenswear and accessories brands based in the UK. The winning designers were identified on the basis of their strong design aesthetics, creativity and point of difference.
