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World Retail Congress: Retail Futures Challenge - FRA Team Announced

Helen Glynn Helena Smith Jordana Taylor

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

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