Browse Business Support Network

Organisation  Description  Type of Support  Occupation

British Fashion Council The British Fashion Council (BFC) promotes British fashion design and creativity worldwide and supports the growth and development of emerging talent through grants and mentoring support. Created in 1983, the BFC is supported by industry patrons. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Funding Showcasing opportunities Designer/maker

Centre for Fashion Enterprise The Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE) is an innovative business support programme that grows new, exciting and sustainable London based high fashion businesses by reducing the risks inherent in establishing them. The CFE aims to provide the support that compliments the creative talents of new designers. Business support/advice Awards, Competitions & Schemes Funding Incubator units Mentoring Studio space Designer/maker

Centre for Sustainable Fashion The Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) provokes, challenges and questions the fashion status quo. Through collaboration we design transforming solutions that balance ecology, society and culture. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Environmental/ethical info and advice Export advice/support Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Mentoring Resources & information provision Showcasing opportunities Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer Student

Cockpit Arts Cockpit Arts is the UK’s only creative business incubator for designer-makers. Renowned for being a ‘hotbed of creative talent’ the studios are brimming with hand-crafted cutting edge fashion, jewellery and interior products. Business support/advice Awards, Competitions & Schemes Funding Mentoring Showcasing opportunities Studio space Designer/maker

Craft Central (Formerly Clerkenwell Green Association) Craft Central is a charity that works to enable and promote excellence in fine craft and design skills. Their aim as an organisation is to facilitate creative excellence and good business practice whilst raising awareness of creative crafts to help practitioners flourish. Business support/advice Mentoring Showcasing opportunities Studio space Training/Courses Designer/maker

Designer-Manufacturer Innovation Support Centre The Designer-Manufacturer Innovation Support Centre (DISC) supports fashion manufacturers and designers to innovate their business, products and services. Export advice/support Business support/advice Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Incubator units Mentoring Resources & information provision Designer/maker Manufacturer

East London Small Business Centre (ELSBC) ELSBC actively helps new fashion businesses to start up and existing fashion/accessories businesses to survive and grow. Business support/advice Funding Mentoring Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer

East Midlands Textiles Association (EMTEX) Ltd EMTEX Limited are here to help UK wide individual textile designers through to established business. We offer support to the sector through a wide range of core services that are delivered by our team of specialists. We also offer a vast range of referrals and deals. Business support/advice Funding Resources & information provision Designer/maker Manufacturer

Ethical Fashion Forum The Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF) is a network of designers, businesses and organisations focusing upon social and environmental sustainability in the fashion industry. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Environmental/ethical info and advice Resources & information provision Training/Courses Designer/maker

Fairtrade Foundation The Fairtrade Foundation team provides end-to-end support through the process of Fairtrade certification. We work with designers/brands to help them source Fairtrade cotton from our network of registered traders (or through their own supply chain) and to apply the FAIRTRADE Mark to certified products. Business support/advice Environmental/ethical info and advice Skills strategy Designer/maker

Fashion and Textile Museum Business support/advice Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer Student

Fashion Awareness Direct Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) was established as an educational charity to support young people into the fashion and textile sector. FAD’s proven techniques help young people from aged 15 to further their education and widen their curriculum helping to bridge the gap between education and industry. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Showcasing opportunities Training/Courses Designer/maker Student

Fashion East Each season Fashion East gives 3 winning designers the chance to present a catwalk collection to international press and buyers attending London Fashion Week. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Funding Mentoring Showcasing opportunities Designer/maker

Fashion Enter Ltd Fashion Enter is a not for profit, industry based specialist that is here to make your designer business work. It offers real support from industry experts, mentoring and seminars but also has facilities to make sales and business for you such as selling to asos.com and Debenhams on your behalf. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Export advice/support Funding Intellectual property advice Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Mentoring Resources & information provision Showcasing opportunities Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer Student

Fashion Fringe at Covent Garden A platform to discover, nurture and sustain young design talent established in 2003 by Colin McDowell, in partnership with IMG Fashion Europe. The initiative was set up to support the profile of London and British designers in the face of growing pressures within the sector, particularly relating to production issues. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Funding Mentoring Showcasing opportunities Designer/maker

Knowledge Dock Knowledge Dock is the University of East London’s enterprise development service. We help to connect students, entrepreneurs, SMEs and organisations to the expertise and resources available at the university to help develop enterprise opportunities.  Business support/advice Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Resources & information provision Designer/maker

London College of Fashion: Fashion Business Resource Studio The Fashion Business Resource Studio (FBRS) at London College of Fashion (LCF) has been set up as a single point of contact for sharing the creative, business and technical expertise of the college with the fashion and lifestyle industries. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Mentoring Showcasing opportunities Training/Courses Student

London Designers Fashion Show The London Designers Fashion Show is an innovative, vibrant new fashion event, which aims to assist, celebrate and enhance the careers of the next generation of up-and-coming fashion designers. Business support/advice Environmental/ethical info and advice Mentoring Resources & information provision Showcasing opportunities Training/Courses Designer/maker Student

Manufacturing Advisory Service The Manufacturing Advisory Service aims to address the practical needs of British manufacturers by delivering hands-on advice and assistance from experts in a wide range of manufacturing disciplines. Business support/advice Manufacturer

NESTA NESTA has developed three initiatives, providing business support to creative entrepreneurs across the UK. Working closely with experienced partners nationally, our programmes provide the business training, mentoring and expertise needed to turn promising ideas into successful business ventures. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Funding Mentoring Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer

On|Off On|Off was established in 2003 by doll UK Ltd’s director Lee Lapthorne. On|Off provides a professional platform in London for new and established designers and also offers international exhibition opportunities for designers in Paris and Milan. Showcasing opportunities Designer/maker

Own-It Own-it provides intellectual property advice and support for creative businesses. Intellectual property advice Training/Courses Designer/maker

Oxeon Consulting Oxeon Consulting is a ‘new age’ luxury fashion consultancy that is able to assist in all aspects of running and/or growing a fashion label, from design inception through to store development. In addition to established brands, we want to help the designers of today become the stars of tomorrow. Access to technical/IT facilities Business support/advice Environmental/ethical info and advice Funding Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Mentoring Resources & information provision Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer

Portobello Business Centre The Portobello Business Centre (PBC) is a Not for Profit business support organisation working within a broad range of business sectors but with a particularly strong record in Pan London support for businesses in the Fashion sector. Business support/advice Intellectual property advice Resources & information provision Training/Courses Designer/maker

Scottish Enterprise - Textiles Scottish textiles continue to be recognised around the world for their quality, diversity and design. It is at this higher end of the market where Scotland continues to punch above its weight. Scotland continues to nurture globally recognised fashion designers such as Graeme Black, Jonathan Saunders and Christopher Kane. Business support/advice Designer/maker Manufacturer

Skillset Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media and is the representative body on skills strategy for the fashion and textiles industry. Our job is to make sure the creative industries have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time. Awards, Competitions & Schemes Business support/advice Funding Resources & information provision Skills strategy Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer Student

Textile Centre of Excellence Huddersfield and District Textile Training Company was established in 1976 to unite the local textile industry in a shared approach to professional, high-quality training. In 1999 the company established the Textile Centre of Excellence, providing a wide range of 'state of the art' textile and clothing training and production facilities. Access to technical/IT facilities Business support/advice Funding Incubator units Training/Courses Designer/maker Manufacturer

Vauxhall Fashion Scout Business support/advice Awards, Competitions & Schemes Showcasing opportunities Designer/maker