http://www.businessoffashion.com/2008/11/british-fashion-awards-open-for-business.html The Business of Fashion is the daily must-read for fashion creatives, business professionals and entrepreneurs in more than 150 countries around the world. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:20:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.businessoffashion.com/2008/11/british-fashion-awards-open-for-business.html#comment-6 Randall Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:21:04 +0000 http://www.businessoffashion.net/2008/11/british-fashion-awards-open-for-business.html#comment-6 Several years ago I was invited to say Hello to Oscar de la Renta and Boaz Mirza. I revered the moment of acknowledgement from Mr de la Renta, but revelled in the fascinating sales technique of Mr Mirza, a gem of a brand ambassador who turns a garden party into a million dollar trunk show smash. He's on the sales and business team, but when clients are asked to describe what he does, the usual response was along the lines of 'he's simply Magic'. A quote attributed to Andy Warhol might give courage to someone at the BFC to join your righteous crusade to endorse the rest of the team responsible for realizing the rare fusion we know as art and science or simply, the business of fashion. When I get the funny sensation that the rest of our Olympian team is not being acknowledged, I've been known to brazenly rephrase Warhol's quote thus (and haven't been called on it once): "[Fashion is art].. 'Making money is art.... and good business is the best art.' " Several years ago I was invited to say Hello to Oscar de la Renta and Boaz Mirza. I revered the moment of acknowledgement from Mr de la Renta, but revelled in the fascinating sales technique of Mr Mirza, a gem of a brand ambassador who turns a garden party into a million dollar trunk show smash. He’s on the sales and business team, but when clients are asked to describe what he does, the usual response was along the lines of ‘he’s simply Magic’. A quote attributed to Andy Warhol might give courage to someone at the BFC to join your righteous crusade to endorse the rest of the team responsible for realizing the rare fusion we know as art and science or simply, the business of fashion. When I get the funny sensation that the rest of our Olympian team is not being acknowledged, I’ve been known to brazenly rephrase Warhol’s quote thus (and haven’t been called on it once): “[Fashion is art].. ‘Making money is art…. and good business is the best art.’ “

]]> http://www.businessoffashion.com/2008/11/british-fashion-awards-open-for-business.html#comment-7 Helene Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:53:57 +0000 http://www.businessoffashion.net/2008/11/british-fashion-awards-open-for-business.html#comment-7 You raise an excellent point. For some reason, it seems that in the U.K. (unlike in France or Italy), the mercantile aspect of fashion is seen as unseemly or downright crass. I'm not sure why this is the case but I've encountered this attitude more than once. If talented designers are to thrive and the British fashion industry is to flourish, I think skilled business executives attuned to the needs of the industry are needed and should be recognized for their own particular contributions to British fashion. Helene The Luxe Chronicles You raise an excellent point. For some reason, it seems that in the U.K. (unlike in France or Italy), the mercantile aspect of fashion is seen as unseemly or downright crass. I’m not sure why this is the case but I’ve encountered this attitude more than once. If talented designers are to thrive and the British fashion industry is to flourish, I think skilled business executives attuned to the needs of the industry are needed and should be recognized for their own particular contributions to British fashion. Helene The Luxe Chronicles

]]>