NEWS
Renowned Designer Professor Jimmy Choo Instals a Centre of Creativity in Boston Manor House
The JCA I London Fashion Academy announces the opening of a new campus and maker space centred on artisan design and craftsmanship in Brentford, West London.
J
immy Choo’s Mayfair-based JCA I London Fashion Academy announces plans for expansion that are currently underway. Taking its core values of nurturing the next generation of fashion pioneers to prepare them for a future within the industry and implementing them in its new campus at Boston Manor House. With education and creative community partnerships already rooted in the nearby area, Boston Manor House provides an ideal setting for JCA I London Fashion Academy to leverage its unique expertise and international profile further. The new academy will put a focus on artisan crafts, design, and accessory making, whilst dedicating itself to unearthing and sculpting a new wave of creative talent that its new base will accommodate. The historic building will house atelier workshops and design studios with specialist fabrication tools, co-working, and event spaces open to the public that will act as a venue for arts and crafts markets. Moreover, the Academy aims to add a touch of flair and creativity to create a long term progressive socio-economic impact on the local community of Brentford. Based on a simple subscription model and following in the footsteps of the JCA I London Fashion Academy’s incubator approach, the co-working studio spaces are designed to help the next generation of designers not only create products but also market them under the guidance of industry specialists. With the aim of supporting an array of artists, designers, and creative professionals, Boston Manor House will provide a space for the essential production of textiles, leather goods, woodwork, resins, metals, and gemstones. Through the process of training and mentorship, alongside accredited short courses, the Academy will create a space for industry innovators to develop the skills needed to turn their passion into a scalable and sustainable business.
Whilst consideration has been taken into the environment needed to help creativity flourish within its walls, JCA I London Fashion Academy also recognises the entry barriers creatives face. Factors such as training, cost and networks, the Academy will provide both crucial knowledge and expertise of professional networks alongside access to markets (both physical and digital) through its Incubation and Enterprise programme to tackle the initial challenges faced. In addition, the Academy will host a series of free events, including TEDx-style talks, Masterclasses, online resources, and fayres in partnership with its key institutes and industry partners. All created with
10 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
a shared goal of fostering and growing a creative community.
Following its strategy ‘Imagine, Create, Inspire’, the Academy is committed to building a community of designers: from schools to artisans and internationally acclaimed industry professionals. Ultimately, the JCA I London Fashion Academy’s aim is to make Brentford a key destination for arts and crafts. In the initial five years of the project, the Academy plans to offer its continued commitment to a minimum of 250 individuals by working directly with the Council
and local creative groups to scope facilities once the makers reach the stage of enterprise and seek to expand their own business models. Since opening the doors of its Mayfair-based JCA I London Fashion Academy last September, the Academy has already provided a pivotal platform for creative talent in the heart of a post- pandemic London. As Prof. Jimmy Choo and his partner Stephen Smith plan to open the doors of yet another centre for creativity, the JCA I London Fashion Academy is slowly building its academic web across the capital.
DOWNLOAD THE FOOTWEAR TODAY APP NOW SPONSORED BY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
