The Sussex Fashion Trust

Shopping is Great

Sussex Indies Day 2012

The 2012 national Campaign featuring UK’s independent retailers has just been launched by Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for Retail.

Independents’ Day encourages the public to buy at least buy one thing from their local, independent shop on 4th July 2012.

Never has there been a better time to celebrate than in the very busy Queens Diamond Jubilee Year – Torch Relay around Great Britain – the UK Olympic and Paralympic Games – to give custom to our local independent stores.

Over the next four months, retailers will be encouraged to download the campaign posters from http://www.retailindieday.com, celebrate the day in their stores and join forces with other retailers and town centre teams to hold special events to capture the public’s imagination.

More Information is available  Twitter @Retail_IndieDay –  facebook.com/independentsday or on the news section of www.retailindieday.com


Promoting British Fashion around the World

Visit Britain, the UK’s national tourist agency has recruited Victoria Beckham, to act as an international ambassador for the  GREATS campaign, helping to promote the best of Britain around the world, whilst under the spotlight this year, with the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Victoria’s ready-to-wear range is now sold in over a credible 300 stores globally. Photoshoot taken with Vogue’s supremo Anna Wintour at New York’s Grand Central Tube Station before the start of AW 2012/2013 NY Fashion Week.


The Great British Campaign in New York

New York’s Grand Central Station saw British Fashion Greats gather including Victoria Beckham, Anna Wintour and Cover girl Karen Elson helping to raise overseas awareness of British fashion talent, focusing on reasons for investment and visiting the UK. Victoria acting as an ambassador for this initiative being photographed in front of a subway train covered in a Union Jack flag.

The ‘Greats’ campaign is promoting aspects of UK culture; including technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, knowledge, green, heritage, sport, shopping, music and the countryside and now being unveiled around the world for 2012 UK tourism.


The Sussex Fashion Trust ‘Made By’ Product Marketing Campaign

The Made By Campaign  – Made By Britain – Made By Sussex – Made By Brighton & Hove. With an anticipated change in tourist profile across Sussex during the Olympic buildup starting with The Torch Relay landing in Britain 18 May 2012, and continuing over the summer months, businesses were being urged during Autumn 2011, and continually, to consider their domestic marketing strategies and buy British manufactured products to retail, wherever possible, for tourists visiting the UK and regionally across Sussex, to take home with them souvenirs and mementos made from the region.

Summer 2011, Julius Arthur Quinn, a post-graduate designer from Brighton University, nominated in the MP’s ‘Made By Britain’ Hove & Portslade entry, designed a portfolio of Olympic inspired designs for fashions for the UK, Sussex and Brighton & Hove on behalf of The Sussex Fashion Trust. Designs were versatile and translated into graphics which could be used for various business 2012 promotional projects highlighting the diversity of designs and of course, promoting the various regional products on offer.  Read more > ‘Made By’ project


Saving Our Famous British High Streets

The heavyweight retail experts are starting to pile in with their sector’s overview of what can be done to regenerate business across UK high streets including Justin King, boss of Sainsburys, reported to be highlighting the need for schooling to be integrated into high streets, along with Harold Tillman, boss of Jaeger & Aquascutum, Chair of British Fashion Council and London Fashion Week, whose talking a relaxation of visas for Chinese visitors to the UK, highlighting the enormous growth by this sector and the value of their three times spend compared to other overseas tourists. With a bumper year of mega events – The Torch Relay across the UK, The Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations and London 2012  – the debate appears to be starting on how sectors view development of the famous British High Street.

Previous news >

Mary Portas Pilot

Mary Portas High Street Review 


Made By Britain Campaign

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Design and Innovation with the APPG for Manufacturing, at parliament, put together a project for all MP’s to discover creative and manufacturing talent in their constituency during 2011. Across Sussex, various businesses have been nominated and Hove & Portslade is represented by the Fashion Sussex submission.

Julius Arthur Quinn, ex graduate of Brighton University Fashion & textiles course produced a number of 2012 Olympic inspired prints celebrating International Olympics, The Paralympics and regionally, The Torch Relay which were submitted as Hove and Portslade’s entry and manufactured and produced lifestyle product ranges.

“ I’m delighted that The Fashion Trust in Sussex, can support this campaign for promoting British fashion manufacturing, particularly with the Olympics less than a year away and so many global businesses and consumers observing the UK” … stated Mike Weatherley MP and Sussex Fashion Trustee,  July 2011.


British Fashion Council – Fashion 2012 – Britain Creates

Created and managed by the British Fashion Council/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation in collaboration with the Mayor of London, Britain Creates is an exciting project which is highlighting London 2012 Festival, the UK festival being staged 21st June – 9 September 2012 and is the culmination of the four year Cultural Olympiad.
The Britain Creates 2012 project will be the start of an ongoing artistic project and bursary to support and encourage further collaboration between fashion and other art forms. The money for the bursary will be raised through the auction of the pieces and through the proceeds of a Gala event. To celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games, prestigious and renowned fashion designers are collaborating with leading visual artists on specially commissioned one-off works of art.

These commissions, focusing on an Olympic and Paralympic value, will be showcased to a broad UK and international audience. 5 July – 20 July 2012  V&A Musuem London Read More > BritainCreates 

The UK’s most prestigious and renowned fashioned designers collaborating with leading visual artists on specially commissioned one-off works of art   ‘Britain Creates 2012’ include Sarah Burton, Christopher Bailey for Burberry, Hussein Chalayan, Giles Deacon, Erdem, Stephen Jones, Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou, Jonathan Saunders and Paul Smith, who will collaborate with leading visual artists including Jeremy Deller, Jess Flood-Paddock, Marc Quinn and Gavin Turk, Michael Raedecker and Cerith Wyn Evans. Fashion connecting with art celebrating London 2012. Part of The London Cultural Festival running throughout the summer 21 June – 9 September London 2012 Festival


Sussex Fashion Designers & Fashion Support Services

We’re seeking very special people.

Those who are based across Sussex and either students, graduates or at various levels in the fashion design industry as we are continually securing interesting creative work opportunities.

Register with us free, confidentially.

– AND

Fashion industry Sussex based suppliers that support the fashion industry, we’ll list you free on our fashion marketing page.

All product design specialities are eligible :: womenswear, menswear, childrenswears, knitwear, sports, accessories, beach, footwear, lingerie…

Please take the 3 minutes to register today.  Register your details free


Sussex Fashion Awards 2012 News

Are you a fashion related business that would like to win one of the twelve coveted Sussex Fashion Awards 2012 this year?

Only one nomination is required online, but is your business ready to be judged by professionals?

  • Is your business website looking fantastic and with up-to-the-minute copy and designs?
  • Does your business have full contacts available online?
  • Is your business engaging with its customers by using social media fully?
  • Has your business a marketing plan and schedule for 2012?
  • Has your business media coverage planned and already achieved?
  • Has your business customer testimonials about your services on your website?
  • Has your business organised any events for your customers?
  • So whats new about your business for judges to look at online?

Just some of the many aspects judges will be glancing over after 8 April 2012 when the nominations close and judging commences. Start making your business plans now to win one of the 12 coverted awards.


‘Sussex Fashion Shopping is Great’

‘The Greats’ Campaign has been especially launched to promote ‘all things British’ in time to celebrate for The Queens Diamond Jubilee and The London 2012 Games including a dedicated ‘Shopping is Great’ poster.


Great British companies and organisations including fashion supremo Mulberry are supporting the campaign and top British figures in fashion including Sir Paul Smith and Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The Fashion Trust is a keen promoter of fashion British manufacturing and has been encouraging local businesses to look at these possibilities wherever possible with never a better time to look at possibilities of British manufacturing in preference to overseas markets for bespoke and short run fashion manufacturing.


Diamonds – celebrating The Queens Diamond Jubilee

A spectacular exhibition at Buckingham Palace is planned to be staged later in the year at the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace including the special exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration. Showing the many ways in which diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years, the exhibition includes an unprecedented display of a number of The Queen’s personal jewels – those inherited by Her Majesty or acquired during her reign.  The exhibition will reveal how many of these extraordinary stones have undergone a number of transformations, having been re-cut or incorporated into new settings during their fascinating history.


The Queens Diamond Jubilee

The Queens Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday Monday takes place 5 June 2012. Exhibitions and events are now starting to be staged across the UK including portraits of Queen Elizabeth II by royal photographer Cecil Beaton at The V&A Musuem, London. This exhibition celebrates Her Majesty in her roles as princess, monarch and mother and coincides with the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. 8 February – 22 April 2012.

Fashion businesses across Sussex can also take this opportunity to learn how they can celebrate this event at the forthcoming Brighton & Hove Business Days presentations being held free for business visitors at The Holiday Inn 26 January 2012. Read more > Brighton & Hove Business


Fashion Businesses Across Sussex Invited

The ‘GREAT’ campaign was released during September 2011 showing off what’s great about Britain – a series of posters highlighting creativity to heritage, music to shopping and more. The hope that the Olympics and Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee next year, to mark 60 years of her reign, will boost tourism, attracting an additional four million visitors, aided by a further billion pounds of free publicity.

LOCOG representatives – The huge organising body behind the Olympic Games – will be explaining how the campaign and Brighton, Hove and Sussex businesses can take every opportunity to market their products and services during this important year. The Sussex fashion industry is invited to the series of FREE presentations being provided 26 January 2012 along with other marketing opportunities and topics promoting @London 2012 including Business Contingency Preparation, ‘Leaders’, last tendering availability.   Read More > Seminars and Workshops page