Lulu Kennedy inspires potential fashion designers to be equipped with talent, passion, self belief

 

The GTCO Fashion Weekend, which is a consumer-focused fair and free business platform designed to showcase the best of Africa’s Fashion to a global audience whilst promoting the effervescent enterprise of the continents growing fashion industry held its 2024 edition of the masterclass in Lagos on 10th November 24. Lulu Kennedy, Fashion Editor spoke on Incubating talent: Supporting the next generation in the master class that was moderated by Agnes Shoyode. The master class which interactive in nature witnessed questions from the moderator and the participants, writes Tony Nwakaegho, Editor Gentechnews.

Lulu was asked by the moderator about her your journey in the fashion sphere and she said she is the founder and director of Fashion East, a not-for-profit talent incubator, that has played a key role in launching the careers of over 200 British fashion designers, including Kim Jones, Simone Rocha, and JW Anderson, while shaping London’s cultural landscape.

Kennedy said that she looks for talents, applications, self knowledge and ambition, then teach them how to put things together like fabric, stream process, so I am a talent scouter and I like to be at the background pushing my talents as the main characters. So, I work with different people with different background. So, we think of who to choose and how we choose them before putting them on the platform. In UK we are using organisations for mentoring, as legal adviser and the fashion council. The designer can do one season or more.

She explained when asked if there is a criterion for being scouted as a designer, and she said they have a very flexible process to recruit as one has to apply online.

According to her UK had super influence in the 80’s and so the focus is now on young talents and glamorous search.

Asked if she is familiar with Nigeria designers, and she said that she is familiar with a Nigeria designer who is using fashion to bring Nigeria to the world.

While explaining how much storytelling is related to culture, Lulu said that everything is saturated, so it is the brave one that will show their talents through their stories.

Speaking about diaspora education in fashion, she noted that we need to have a social media class in trying to breakthrough if you have the talent and the drive, self belief and passion, which is the philosophy as they don’t allow copying.

Asked, globally in UK what is happening to fashion, Lulu declared that if you have money, you can afford luxury product and that is what makes her excited and hopeful for the future.

A participant asked Lulu what she want to see in fashion and she highlighted that she wants to see people working together, giving back, foundation, grant and manufacturers coming back with designers and investors with powerful brands that will stand the test of time. She added that in the UK they have the UK pricing award and others that are quite healthy. So, in fashion, we should try new things and that is the fantasy.

When asked what she enjoyed most, the Lulu pointed out that in the first instance she had finance issue and she did the magazine with her brand and the knowledge which she passed on to the designers, so she had to prioritize that in her magazine.

Fielding question on how she kept London on the fashion map, Lulu hinted that they kept doing what they were doing, thinking of the next thing as they are going to celebrate 25th anniversary next year.

Answering question on the most difficult part of her journey in the last five years, she explained that it was a tough time and even in her personal life as they tried to make sure that they keep the designers that they have enlisted, made great cinema in the fashion week and it was a strong season.

A participant told Lulu that she has financial challenge in his company and wanted to know how he can give better consultancy to designers, and he was told that before selling he has to check with the designer- that is the storytelling and how you want to do it, whether seasonal instead of weekly and this will include the stylists sitting with the designer.

A participant also said that she is starting a clothing brand and she don’t have a shop, so how will she make people to see the clothing brand and Lulu advised her she should dress somebody or her friends in the clothes to showcase the clothing brand.

Another participant asked that for someone who has an eye on fashion and styles what career or potential is needed to go into the design industry and the Lulu responded by saying that it all begins with creativity and fresh and so can start it together with some friends.

Again, another participant said that in relation to pricing of having low paying clients, how can she go about getting clients that can pay more, and Lulu said that she should ask her clients to help her in spreading her works by wearing the clothes she makes.

Lulu was asked to offer her advice on how a fashion designer can settle her niche in teams of styles and she encouraged her to do what she is satisfied in doing, noting that it comes naturally instead of struggling, and urging her to do the things that she is more comfortable in doing.

Lulu was asked that as fashion designer, whether one should settle on what she or he is selling or the message of what is selling best and she advised that she may have a product that is already telling her story, so she should think of a product that will give her a good turn over, so she don’t have to be doing everything at once.

Asked why she cross over from music to fashion, Lulu explained that it was people that inspired her to cross over from music to fashion, as they were able to create friendship, trust and connection.

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