The Fashion Trust

The Fashion Trust has been created to link both academics and professionals alike, it’s primary focus of the UK regional fashion industry, creativity and design, business mentoring, and associated industries linked to it.

Its current primary emphasis being on helping designers expand businesses, manufacturing, and exporting from the Brighton & Hove and Sussex region.

The Sussex Fashion Trustees

Jake Leith

Jake Leith currently President of the Chartered Society of Designers, Past Chair of the CSD Fashion & Textiles Group and leads Business & Professional Practice in Fashion & Textiles at the University of Brighton, having over 20 years’ experience of successfully running his own design practice and 12 years as a teacher-practitioner is a trustee of The Sussex Fashion Trust.

Jake has generously donated time to judge the 2011 awards and help create the 2012 awards for the Sussex fashion industry.

Mike Weatherley

Mike Weatherley MP Mike Weatherley is the Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade and a huge supporter of the creative industries. Before Parliament Mike worked in the music and film industries. Since his election, he has become a champion of Intellectual Property Rights for creative works and additionally paid particular attention to the promotion of local talent. Mike also chairs at parliament the APPG for Retail and Business Crime.

Mike joined the panel of judges for the first Sussex Fashion Awards 2011, in order to champion the work of those involved in the fashion industry in Sussex and looks forward to continuing 2012.

Michaela Walker

Michaela Walker Fashion Director, Star Communications Sussex, with experience in the fashion industry spaning more than 30 years including design, production, buying and retail directorships, held with major international and UK fashion store groups, including founding own store group franchising and concession chain.

Further UK appointments to be announced shortly.

The Trusts’ aims

Year one saw the introduction of The Sussex Fashion Awards, helping to increase media fashion coverage across Sussex by more than 50%.
Year two sees an emphasis on British manufacturing, helping to introduce designers to low cost workspaces manufacturing bespoke and short run fashions.
Year three will look to raise greater export status.

Recent News

Jake Leith, President of The Chartered Society of Designers, Head of Business & Professional Practice for Fashion & Textiles (and Design & Craft) at the University of Brighton, with 20 years’ experience of successfully running his own design practice and 12 years as a teacher-practitioner as well as The Sussex Fashion Trust Awards trustee was recently invited to The Prince Philip Designers Prize evening awarded by The HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at a ceremony at the Design Council during November 2011.

Quentin Blake, one of Britain’s best-loved illustrators and the man who created the world-famous images of the Big Friendly Giant and Matilda, was named the winner of the 2011 Prince Philip Designers Prize by HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The awards saw a number of high profile fashion nominees including Stephen Jones one of the UK’s foremost milliners, who has transformed millinery since first opening a salon in 1980, and who has trained other leading designers including Philip Treacy and Noel Stewart. Sir Paul Smith, arguably the most successful British fashion designer ever. Since opening his first shop in Nottingham in 1970 he has built an international business that has defined the way three generations of men – and latterly women – have dressed.

Left to right HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Quentin Blake, Jake Leith.

More than 12,000 students each year do not leave Brighton & Hove after graduating; some of those within the fashion and related creative industries, taking minor unrelated jobs to remain in the area where lifestyle is as a key influence as is employment.

It is some of these fashion graduates, coupled with young designers and established design houses, that The Fashion Trust wish to help and support increasing manufacturing and export.

The First Year Timeline

The Trust is currently based from Brighton & Hove, Sussex

Why Brighton & Hove?

Brighton & Hove has a reputation as a leading cultural city, with the highest current arts engagement outside London. About one in five businesses and 10% of jobs are already in the arts and creative industries.
The City is less than 55 minutes travel time away from London, the fashion capital of the UK.
Brighton & Hove is ideally placed with a growing games and digital media and arts industry, a natural young and growing music culture; clearly fashion adheres itself to these.
Brighton & Hove and surrounding East & West Sussex, has several university and educational colleges offering a collection of fashion and related courses and plentiful of undergraduates and graduates living locally looking to retain their new skills.