The British Council is presenting the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year (IYFEY) award for the first time in Lithuania.
- to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the field of fashion,
- to help to sustain the development of the next generation of leaders within the creative sector,
- to promote the UK as a centre of creative thinking and entrepreneurship, a vital nexus of international networking and a place where you can always do business.
- to showcase your individual achievement and potential,
- to win and promote Lithuania’s fashion sector that you believe deserve to reach an international market,
- to win and take part in a wide range of business networking opportunities during the UK Tour,
- to win and attend a number of receptions, including IYFEY 2010 Award Ceremony.
Candidates must already be active professionally in the fashion sector in Lithuania, as defined below:
Fashion sector definition
- Fashion, textile, accessories or perfume design and production
- Fashion promotion: shows, exhibitions, festivals, events
- Fashion retail: buying, merchandising
- Fashion product research, sourcing, supply chain management
- Fashion marketing, PR, branding, journalism
- Fashion publishing, communications, websites
- Consultants providing specialist services in any of the areas outlined
You must:
- Be aged between 25 and 35
- Already work in the fashion sector (as defined above)
- Be entrepreneurial and have shown your ability and innovative approach to the promotion of fashion in Lithuania, particularly in a commercial context
- Through your character, drive and abilities demonstrate your potential to be a leader of the fashion sector in Lithuania
- Have English language skills to IELTS 6 or above (competent user)
We will select and invite the successful candidates for an interview on the week beginning 23 November 2009.
During the interview the candidates will be interviewed and asked to make a fifteen-minute presentation in English about their vision for Lithuania’s fashion industry to a judging panel of three members of Lithuania’s fashion industry and two members of the British Council staff. The presentation should include:
- background of national fashion industry and understanding of current situation/issues within it;
- description of your own work as a fashion entrepreneur and how your own work sits in context in the national industry/situation;
- your wider vision for your own work and domestic fashion industry – demonstrating how your are a leader within it;
- how the IYFEY prize would benefit you and your work; inherent within this should be a demonstration of how you successfully marry the commercial and creative aspects of your work, and understanding of business with the creative ability to drive your company forward.
We will announce the national finalist by 5 December 2009.
The finalist will
- attend London Fashion Week (provisional dates 19 – 23 February 2010).
- take part in a showcase opportunity to promote innovative work from their country which they feel is appropriate for the UK and wider international market.
- website showcase: in addition, work selected for the showcase will also be featured on our Creative Economy webpage (www.creativeconomy.org.uk) for visitors to vote for their favourite.
- participate in the IYFE award ceremony, where the award winner will be announced.
The finalists from the participating countries will arrive in the UK for a 10 day tour of the UK national fashion industry. This tour will take them to London and at least one other UK region/city (East Midlands/Nottingham) to meet leaders of the fashion sector. The tour will comprise visits, meetings, seminars and events and shows as part of London Fashion Week.
The programme will be tailored to the finalists’ interests, and include both a group itinerary for the finalists to get a shared overview of the best of the UK fashion scene and specific meetings to introduce finalists to UK contacts of particular interest to them for commercial or collaborative purposes.
The jury selects the overall international winner of the IYFEY award. In addition to the award title, the winner receives a financial prize (£5000) to be spent on a collaborative project with the British Council that builds the relationship between the winning country and the UK.
Send us the completed and signed application form by the extended deadline, 21 November 2009 to
British Council
Jogailos 4, LT-01116 Vilnius
Lithuania
or
email to Dominyka.Umbrasaite@britishcouncil.lt
London Fashion Week (dates to be confirmed) is run by the British Fashion Council (BFC), the official voice of the designer fashion industry. It aims, with the help of industry benefactors, to promote British fashion design worldwide. London Fashion Week is now established as one of London's premier events, attracting a target audience of key fashion leaders, retailers and press who attend this biannual showcase for British designer fashion.
London Fashion Week includes catwalk shows and a trade exhibition as well as the world’s leading new designer sponsorship scheme, New Generation. London Fashion Week in February 2008 saw the largest ever attendance of UK buyers, international press, photographers and broadcast crews. It drew to a close after six days comprising 57 catwalk shows, 200 exhibitor displays, captured by over 350 photographers and broadcasters, the city wrapped up another display of critically acclaimed collections, re-affirming London as the most innovative of the fashion capitals.
London Fashion Week has also generated £24 million of editorial print media in the UK alone, 70% of which is dedicated fashion coverage. With editorial media coverage worth £24 million, orders worth £40 million and business for London worth over £100 million London Fashion Week proves it is good for designers, good for fashion and good for London.
The IYFE finalists will be able to attend some shows at London Fashion Week as well as visit the static exhibition, and the award will be presented in a space in the London Fashion Week exhibition. We are in further discussion with the BFC to determine how else IYFE could fit in their London Fashion Week programme.
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