Manufacturing for the Future

Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE) connects fashion designers with technology and manufacturing businesses at a day-long trade show on 3 April followed by CFE’s 14th FashTech meet-up.

Taking place at LSO St Lukes in Old Street, close to both Silicon Roundabout and east London’s fashion community, this event will showcase traditional and innovative manufacturing and explore the possibilities of technology-enabled design and manufacturing. It illustrates CFE’s commitment to nurturing SMEs and providing opportunities for networking.

The CFE Manufacturers Trade Show is a unique sourcing event for fashion businesses looking to connect with high-end production units, including manufacturers, pattern cutters, fashion software and embroidery services, which cater to smaller scale quantities for fashion entrepreneurs.

Exhibitors this time include Jenny King Embroidery, Kitty Ferreira and London Pattern Bureau and new knitwear offers from Knitster and Harlowe Studios.

CFE’s 14th FashTech Meetup will explore the next wave of making: technology-enabled design and manufacturing. This evening event hosted by CFE will bring together a panel of experts, including Carys Roberts, Chief Economist and Head of the Centre for Economic Justice at IPPR, to discuss:

• What will automation do to job supply?
• How are designers adopting technology in their creative processes?
• Will circular technologies demand that designers take ownership over a garment’s entire life cycle?

CFE is London’s pioneering fashion and fashion tech business incubator, supported by London College of Fashion, UAL. The programme-based offer supports businesses across fashion, accessories, jewellery and fashion tech at different points in their journey. Current CFE-supported businesses include Molly Goddard, Charles Jeffrey, Bethany Williams, Supriya Lele, Marieyat, DANSHAN, JORDAN/LUCA and Alex Mullins. The Manufacturers Trade Show is part of CFE’s Fashion Technology Emerging Futures (FTEF) project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).