Latest News & Events

Lisa Snowdon presents Fashion Retail Academy Awards

The Fashion Retail Academy Awards Ceremony took place on Tuesday, 6th July and was attended by Sponsors and retail industry big hitters — Sir Philip Green (Owner of the Arcadia Group), Sir Stuart Rose (Chairman of M&S), Terry Green (CEO of Tesco Clothing) and Andrew Varley (Executive Director of Next), along with many other business leaders in the fashion retail industry.

Special guest Lisa Snowden, who wore a beautiful cream M&S dress from their Autumn collection, presented two prizes, the most Commitment Student of the Year Award was presented to Toby Milroy who has studied at the Academy for three years — a very popular choice with the students!

The FRA has gone from strength to strength since it opened 5 years ago with 62 distinction students this year compared to 32 last year.

According to recent reports in the papers, there are 70 graduates chasing every job, but already 60% of this year's graduates from the Fashion Retail Academy have secured jobs in the industry and we have 40 students going on to University.

Trip to Whiteleys

On Wednesday 19th May, the Foundation degree students were invited to Whiteleys in Bayswater. Ellen Lewis of Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) and Brian Macshane, the Retail specialist, introduced the students to the concept of Pop-stores in a shopping mall environment.

We were able to see an empty unit and learn about the key operational issues involved in opening a shop as well as visiting the different pop-up shop concepts already trading. Following Terry Green's morning presentation on leadership and Tesco's branding, the students were able to experience first hand the challenges of fashion management in today's challenging environment. JLLa have offered the chance to enter a competition for marketing ideas to promote the Pop-stores and the students will be thinking creatively about fashion PR and promotions.

In the afternoon, Sir Stuart Rose gave a Masterclass on his Retail experiences and encouraged everyone to enjoy the retailing opportunities available through the Fashion Retail Academy.

The next day, David Walker-Smith, Buying Director for Beauty and Menswear and Harvey Sutton, Head of Events, both from Selfridges presented a Masterclass at the FRA to level 4 Buying & Merchandising and Level 4 Visual Merchandising students.

David Cameron at the Fashion Retail Academy

Sir Philip Green welcomed Leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, along with his wife Samantha and George Osborne to the FRA on Friday, 23rd April 2010. Sir Phillip Green gave an impassioned speech telling the story of his rise from small shopkeeper to billionaire, and then going on to really lay into the waste he sees in the public sector.

Sir Philip pledged his support for the Conservative Party, he said he believed that Mr Cameron and his shadow chancellor "understand what needs to be done. They get it."

"It is not my job to say vote blue, red or yellow," he told over 150 FRA students ahead of a speech by Mr Cameron. "But a takeover of GB plc is going to happen on May 6. There is a very clear position on the left and the right. I cannot envisage that we would take over a company on May 6, 2010, find it broken and say 'that's a bit fragile at the moment, we are going to leave it and put a sign in our window that we are going to put our prices up'. But that's what's on offer".

"What we need is a clear strategy. We cannot leave it as it is," he added.

Sir Philip was joined by a number of leading figures from the retail world including Charles Dunstone, the founder of Carphone Warehouse; Simon Wolfson, chief executive of Next; Sir Stuart Rose, the executive chairman of Marks & Spencer; and entrepreneur Richard Caring.

Comparing the task facing the next Prime Minister to taking over a company, he said there were real savings to be made. "There is a fundamental difference between cost cutting and efficiency."

Sir Philip went on to cite the example of a multi-millionaire friend who had just qualified for the winter fuel payment of ’250, plus ’250 for his wife. Brandishing a letter sent to his friend, he called on Mr Cameron to make the benefit means-tested. Mr Cameron rejected the idea during a question and answer session after his speech.

Mr Cameron told students, VIPs and the press "We understand business. Respect for business is hardwired into our DNA." He added: "You don't have to tell me how important the fashion industry is - it employs my wife."

After the speeches FRA students put questions to David Cameron and the World Congress Students, unfortunately unable to go to Berlin due to the volcanic ash cloud, had the opportunity to meet Mr Cameron and his wife.

In a letter received after the visit from David Cameron he said:

"It was a privilege to see at first hand the superb work you have been doing there and to meet some of your excellent staff and students. I thoroughly enjoyed the question and answer session. It was a great pleasure to field questions from such engaged young people."

Sir Philip had the vision and implemented a strategy to develop the Fashion Retail Academy, the first National Skills Academy to be opened in the UK in September 2006, backed by some of the big names in fashion retail - The Arcadia Group, Marks & Spencer, Next and Tesco.

It really is the unique combination of retail business and fashion education that makes learning at the Fashion Retail Academy so rewarding and meaningful.

Visitors from Norway

For the second year running students on a Retail Diploma Course at Krager? VGS in Norway spent three days at the Fashion Retail Academy experiencing a selection of subjects from our Level 2 Diploma in Fashion Retail.

Here the 16 and 17 year old students are being introduced to Visual Merchandising by creating a window design. The third photo shows the finished window designs

We hope to welcome our Norwegian friends to the Academy again in 2011.

Students meet with Retailers at FRA Careers Day

The Fashion Retail Academy Careers Day held on 21st April 2010 provided a unique opportunity for all FRA students to meet key retailers from the fashion retail industry.

Some real opportunities were available in the form of part time and full time jobs, internships and further work placements, plus a chance to meet retail brands like Figleaves, Harvey Nicols, Hobbs, Levi, M&S, Next, RHR, Tesco, Calvin Klein (Warnaco), Toast, Whistles and the Arcadia Group to find out what employment options there will be when students graduate.

Francesca Notaro, Retail Liaison Manager at the FRA said "It was a fantastic day all round and wonderful for the students and retailers to meet face to face with time for discussions from both sides. The feedback from all concerned has been very positive and most importantly jobs were filled."

Arcadia Group, provided invaluable careers coaching throughout the day. Linda Summerall, Group Resourcing Manager at Arcadia commented, "The careers day was a fantastic opportunity for us to talk to the students about their future career plans. The career coaching sessions were very popular, allowing students to have individual time with members of our HR team. We also ran presentations throughout the day which raised awareness of the wide range of opportunities on offer, as well as providing some hints and tips to ensure students were prepared for the application process. The students we met had real potential for a career in the retail industry, and many were on par with the top university graduates who apply for entry level roles at Arcadia."

The Fashion Retail Academy is currently working with over 60 retail leaders in addition to the Academy's core sponsors. Work experience is offered on all the courses and is an integral part of learning at the FRA. In a recent Ofsted report the FRA scored 'outstanding' for retail/industry liaison.

World Retail Congress: Retail Futures Challenge - FRA Team Announced

After the FRA's success at the World Retail Congress Retail Futures Challenge 2009 held in Barcelona last year, the Fashion Retail Academy was again selected to put forward a team of bright, forward thinking students to represent the UK for this years competition. The Retail Futures Challenge 2010 will be held in Berlin and Student's from all over the world have to come up with a concept for a new brand that represents the city that they are from.

In the initial heats there were three presentations from current students studying at all levels at the FRA with each one being judged by a panel of six including Sir Philip Green, Sir Stuart Rose and Miles Gray from Ben Sherman.

The winning team included three Level 4 B&M students, Helen Glynn, Helena Smith and Jordana Taylor, who came up with the concept for a menswear brand based on existing popular menswear brands, cockney rhyming slang that would initially be developed in the many disused pubs of London. They will be travelling to Berlin in April to defend the Fashion Retail Academy's title and we would like to take this opportunity to wish them the best of luck!

To find out more about the World Retail Congress and the other teams that will be competing, please click here

Unfortunately due to the volcanic ash problems, the World Retail Congress: Retail Futures Challenge 2010 has been postponed until later in the year.

Ex Student Success!!

We have had a fantastic year of success stories with our current students but lest we not forget our past students as well.

Sam Lobban, now 22, was recently named in the top 50 of Drapers 'Next Generation: Rising Stars' feature. Sam graduated from the pilot year of the FRA four years ago and has been going from strength to strength ever since. Now working as a Contemporary Assistant Buyer at Selfridges he has been involved in the launch of the new website focusing on Menswear and Beauty ensuring that all the content and product was just right for this new and exciting venture. Sam has been quoted as saying that he 'wants to go as far as he can in fashion retailing..I've worked hard and I will continue doing that."

Also in our line up of success is Kelly Goss, ex - Level 3, has been recognised as Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year for her fashion label 'Rock N Needle.' You can find out more information on the story here

Students star struck at Selfridges!

Students studying for the Level 4 Visual Merchandising and Buying and Merchandising diplomas were invited to an exclusive Vivienne Westwood fashion show at Selfridges, London. It was the first time that Westwood has presented her Anglomania collection on the catwalk. There was an impressive guest list of celebrities and press and the students were lucky enough to meet Dame Vivienne herself. It was a real honour for students from the Academy to be invited to the event and we thanks Selfridges for their continued support of the FRA.

Three lucky Level 4 students had the opportunity to attend an interview between Colin McDowell the fashion commentator and American fashion designer Alexander Wang at Selfridges, London. The students then attended a champagne reception in the Alexander Wang department.

The Fashion Retail Academy Graduation 2009

On the 7th July 2009 the Fashion Retail Academy celebrated its third Graduation Ceremony with students and key members of the retail industry. We are pleased to announce that over three hundred students graduated with 45 students across three levels achieving a Distinction grade.

As with previous years, the guest list for the ceremony was extensive with key players such as Sir Philip Green (Owner of the Arcadia Group), Sir Stuart Rose (CEO of M&S), Terry Green (CEO of Tesco Clothing), and Andrew Varley (Executive Director of Next) as well as new awards presented by Charlotte Hogg from Experian and Nick Hollingworth from Austin Reed. Terry Green re-presented the winners of the World Retail Congress with their awards, providing a new trophy that he had made especially for them.

We were also honoured to welcome to the FRA for the first time Bernd Hake of Hugo Boss and CEO of Harvey Nichols Joseph Wan who commented on the high standard of the students work displayed in the Graduation Exhibition.

Nearing the end of the ceremony, Sir Philip Green announced that thanks to all the students’ hard work throughout the year he had a surprise for the students in the form of a mystery guest. The lecture theatre exploded as Gok Wan stepped out onto the stage to announce the winner of the Student Commitment Award which went to Anne Kelly for her commitment and determination to succeed during her time at the FRA.

Refreshments were once again provided by M&S.

The Award Winners were as follows:

Next Outstanding Student Award: Rachel Hugh

Tesco Outstanding Student Award: Rebecca Jackson

M&S Outstanding Student Award: Kelly Bone

Arcadia Outstanding Student Award: Sophie Hunt

Experian Level 2 Award: Louise Philips

Student of the Year Award: Anne Kelly

Austin Reed Window Competition Winner: Francesca Murphy

Austin Reed Window Competition Runner Up: Demet Kisacik