Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz helped unveil ambitious plans to make East London the global hub of fashion technology.
She attended the launch of the Fashion District, a new hub for London’s fashion industry, which will have sites in Newham at East Bank in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, plus Hackney Wick and Poplar.
The new hub aims to bring 15,000 jobs, improve skills and training, and provide new affordable workspaces. It will build on a long history in fashion manufacturing in East London to ensure that the area is the centre for fashion education, design, business and technology. It will also bring 5,500 students from London College of Fashion together in one campus at East Bank from 2022.
Mayor Fiaz said: “Growing up I remember spending my time during the summer holidays in the garment factory my dad set up and ran in Aldgate, watching with fascination the craftsmanship involved in clothes manufacturing.
“London remains one of the leading cities in the world for fashion and design, so I'm thrilled with the prospect of this wonderful new district for fashion innovation setting up shop in East London to maintain our capital's pre-eminence in this important trading sector.
“With London College of Fashion relocating to Stratford, I'm even more excited about the opportunities for our residents and young people who have an ambition to follow in the footsteps of the late great Alexander McQueen who learned his trade while growing up and going to college in Newham.”
The Fashion District is the result of an innovative collaboration between a range of partners that includes Newham Council, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, the British Fashion Council, UK Fashion and Textiles, the Mayor of London, London Legacy Development Corporation, Here East, Newham College of Further Education, and the boroughs of Hackney, Haringey, Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets.
Justine Simons, London’s deputy mayor for culture and creative industries, said: “The Fashion District will generate thousands of jobs, train young people for a career in this growing industry, and pave the way for growth and innovation.”
Professor Frances Corner, head of London College of Fashion said: “I am particularly delighted Newham and the other boroughs have pledged their support.”
Paul Stephen, principal and chief executive of Newham College of Further Education, said: “The Fashion District will create a talent pipeline so that the fashion industry can access the skilled workforce it needs to thrive.”
