London – Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a welcome reception for the
British fashion industry Thursday night in Number 10 Downing Street, ahead
of the official start of London Fashion Week on Friday.
Together with the British Fashion Council Dame Natalie Massenet, the Prime
Minister welcomed a number of apprentices from some of Britain’s leading
fashion labels, such as Charlotte Olympia, John Smedley, Private White VC
and RA Smart Holdings, in addition to the British Fashion Council
scholarship recipients and graduate traineeships from the Royal College of
Art and Central St Martins.
During the evening reception, May said she was “delighted” to meet some of
Britain’s up and coming talented designers and discuss the government’s
ongoing commitment to support apprentices – both in the fashion industry
and beyond – to ensure they succeed. “British fashion is of huge importance
to our country, contributing 28 billion pounds to the UK economy and
supporting nearly 900,000 jobs,” said May.
“I was delighted to welcome representatives from across the industry to
Downing Street ahead of London Fashion Week – which is one of the biggest
and most influential fashion events in the world…The Government I lead
will do everything we can, including providing the right investment in
training and skills, to help everyone, whatever people’s backgrounds, to go
as far as their talents can take them. I am proud to say that our British
fashion industry is a global leader in trade, creativity and innovation.”
Dame Massenet added that it was a “great honour” that the Prime Minister
invited several representatives from the fashion industry to 10 Downing
Street Thursday evening, stressing the event was a sign of the “ongoing
value” that the government places on the fashion industry. “Our designers
continue to grow their businesses, embrace technology and innovate,” said
Massenet. “In February, Burberry ignited the movement of “See Now, Buy Now”
which was seen in New York and will now be seen in London.”
“London is unique. It is a great place to live and work. It is a dynamic
fashion, business, creative and cultural capital and we have no doubt we
will show it at its best over the next few days.”
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Photo 1: Prime Minister Theresa May with apprentices and scholarship
winners; from L-R: Callum Brooke (Burberry Apprentice), Emma Sheldon (RA
Smart Holdings), Mark Glasgow (Graduate Traineeship Winner), Hannah Porter
(Graduate Traineeship Winner), Prime Minister Theresa May, Nabil El-Nayal
(MA Scholarship Winner), Serena Gili (MA Scholarship Winner), Tom Chapman
(Private White V.C Apprentice), Sam Lavelle (John Smedley Apprentice)
Photo 2: Prime Minister Theresa May, Natalie Massenet with BFC/Vogue
Designer Fashion Fund Winners and Fund Supporter, Christopher Bailey; from
L-R: Peter Pilotto, Christopher De Vos, Mary Katrantzou, Prime Minister
Theresa May, Natalie Massenet, Christopher Bailey, Sophia Webster, Nicholas
Kirkwood