A pioneering top British fashion designer who is restoring pride in the UK textile world, is set to outline his ambitions to boost the industry at a unique talk at Selfridges Birmingham.
Patrick Grant, who launched the leading new brand Community Clothing, will be part of a panel of sustainable fashion industry experts at the iconic store in March to talk about how British clothing can be more affordable, and sustainable.
Patrick, who is the owner and creative director of fashion label E Tautz, and is one of the leading figures in UK Menswear, will be part of the panel alongside Lucy Clayton, CEO of Community Clothing. The evening will be chaired by former deputy fashion editor of the Independent, Rebecca Gonsalves.
Community Clothing is an innovative social enterprise which is dedicated to making clothes and creating jobs within the UK textile working community. The company uses the spare capacity in slack periods within factories to make great, cost engineered clothing, which are then sold directly to the consumer, and cutting out the usual wholesale mark-ups.
The talk comes in conjunction with Selfridges’ ongoing commitment to sustainability and its current project ‘Material World’, which looks at sustainable innovation through materiality and the provenance of the fabrics of fashion.
A pop-up Community Clothing store will also be opening within Selfridges Birmingham between Sunday, 12th March until Sunday, 26th March, and the talk will highlight this processes and how members of the public can be a part of the movement.
Patrick said: “We believe that everyone should be able to buy exceptional quality British-made clothes, and to play their own part in sustaining and creating British jobs. Community Clothing will make British clothes affordable to all. We also feel passionately that at the heart of great communities lie great employers and that at the heart of personal pride lies a great job. Community Clothing will support great employers and great workers in communities across the country.”
Sam Watts, general manager of Selfridges Birmingham, said: “We try and put sustainability at the heart of everything we do and we are honoured to be hosting an event to show people within the West Midlands that they can too make a change. Spaces are limited and we know there will be a lot of fashionistas, fashion students and our customers who will be really interested in what they are discussing.”
For more details on the complimentary event and to book tickets, visit www.selfridges.com
