GFW Sponsors 2010

 

GRADUATE FASHION WEEK BUCKS INDUSTRY TREND

In an increasingly competitive market and in a tough economic climate, Graduate Fashion Week has bucked the industry trend and obtained more sponsorship than ever before. 

“Graduate Fashion Week has always had strong support from the fashion and the creative industries, but in these uncertain times GFW along with many other charities have found it to be a difficult time.  We have been very fortunate to maintain nearly all our sponsors from 2009 and are delighted that River Island has been our title for a record-breaking six years.  We are also thrilled to welcome new sponsors Hammerson, BHM Knitwear and Own Label for 2010 and we anticipate even more before the event.”

Terry Mansfield CBE, Chairman, Graduate Fashion Week

We’re delighted to announce BHM Knitwear is the new sponsor of this year’s Visionary Knitwear Award.  BHM Knitwear supply brands such as Henri Lloyd, JD Sports, River Island and Top Man with one stop knitwear solutions.

“BHM Knitwear Ltd are honoured to be supporting the GFW.  We employ a talented team of knitwear designers at our Leicestershire headquarters and have an in house sampling facility enabling us to react quickly to all the latest trends.  We supply quick turnaround knitwear to all the major high street retailers such as River Island from our off shore factories.  Having employed many design graduates over our 40 year history we are keen to support and encourage fresh and creative design talent.”

Julie McCarthy, BHM Knitwear Ltd

Hammerson, the leading creator, manager and owner of retail destinations and office buildings such as the Bullring in Birmingham and Brent Cross in North London, has come on board as sponsor of this year’s Fashion Innovation Award.

 

"Graduate Fashion Week is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates on the fashion calendar, and Hammerson are delighted to be involved in this prestigious event.  The nature of our business as developers and owners of some of the most successful UK retail destinations, allows us to have the opportunity to work very closely with some of the biggest names in retail, as well as some of the brightest individual talents to emerge in this sector.  Therefore our partnership with Graduate Fashion Week is a terrific fit for our business, and we look forward to working with the team to make it the most successful events to date."

Lawrence Hutchings, UK Retail Managing Director, Hammerson Plc

Graduate Fashion Week is also delighted to announce Own-label.com is sponsoring this year’s Event Floorplan.  OWN LABEL is a new channel for emerging fashion designers to submit their ideas in line with specific briefs for the chance to win a cash prize.  The top designs are displayed in the VOTE section of our website to be voted for by YOU the public.  The most popular designs are manufactured and sold online with the designers name on the label.

“There is a wealth of creative talent in our Fashion Colleges and limited opportunities for students to demonstrate this creativity in a commercial way. OWN LABEL has been set up, by former students, to provide a new channel for designers to showcase their skills, have successful designs manufactured and get them started on their careers.  Our sponsorship of Graduate Fashion Week reflects the fact that this is the natural place to find creative new designers who want to get their designs in front of the fashion conscious consumer.”

Toby Cole, founder, Own-Label.com

For an unprecedented sixth year running, River Island has signed on as title sponsor of the prestigious event, which is an incredible testament to River Island’s dedication to nurturing young talent.

Since the start of the relationship in 2005, High Street giant River Island has completely embraced its involvement with Graduate Fashion Week launching The River Island Gold Award, with a life-changing prize of £20,000 as one of its first initiatives and over the past five years alone, River Island has seized the opportunity of its involvement and used the event to scout the hottest new talent fresh from University, before anyone else. 

We are also delighted to welcome back our long time sponsors – L’Oreal Professionnel (7 years), Jon Adam (6 years), Mulberry (4 years).  Other sponsors for Graduate Fashion Week 2010 are Lifeline IT, PER Aquum, Lyle & Scott, Hachette Filipacchi and Renault. 

We also have terrific support from Vogue, Glamour, GQ, Harpers, Company, Super Super, Skinny Cow, Ty Nant, Propress Steamers, GE Digital Cameras and Kiss FM.

Showcasing the very best talent from the UK’s premier fashion and design universities, Graduate Fashion Week has become one of the most un-missable events on the calendar for both the international fashion contingent and the general fashion loving public.  This year the event celebrated 19 years of British trained fashion talent passing through its doors.  Graduate Fashion Week 2010 June 6th-10th.

As a registered charity Graduate Fashion Week is entirely dependent on sponsorship.

For further information please contact Fi Cuningham or Tanya Shaw at SCPR