Today on local television, I watched a feature about Talented London Designers and how difficult it is for them to get themseleves noticed and compete in the competitive world of fashion. The funding they need to promote and market themselves is astranomical and without some sort of celebrity backing or endorsement they are unlikely to suceed. London is great at bringing forard new talent but not so good at hanging on to it. Many of the young up anad coming designers that start showing at London fashion week move on to the more established shows of Milan and Paris.

That is why I think Fashion Fringe is such an exciting project. It is a bit like an X factor for fashion designers and with Donatello Versace as  chair it is bound to give the entrants and winner some very welcome exposure.

This time the prize went to Korean designer Eun Jeong Hong for her tier white lace suits and grecian dresses. But Fashion Fringe is not just about the winner, there were some other very talented entrants including Sarah Easom, who’s collection contained prints inspired by exotic birds, LF Markey whose collection was inspired by Elizabethan costume, and William Tempest whose collection was full of corset dresses.

picture from style.com

If you love fashion from up and coming designers try this Sara Berman Negligee etched chiffon print top

Picture of Sarah Eason and  her sketches from fashionfringe.co.uk

The fashion fringe finalists have been announced by Donnatello Versace, the chairman of Fashion Fringe. Go By a Secret Path (Eun Jeong), LF Markey, Sarah Easom and William Tempest will all now show a collection in London Fashion week when the winner will be announced. The prize is £100,000 in funding for their next collection which will be shown at London Fashion week in February. The expert judging panel that consisted of Anne Pitcher (Selfridges), Donatella Versace, Jonathan Akeroyd (Alexander McQueen), Lucinda Chambers (Vogue UK), Natalie Massenet (Net-A-Porter.com), Roland Mouret and Roy Peach (London College of Fashion).

Fashion Fringe is  a good way to find out about new talent and really great as it is dedicated to the belief that, in order to keep British fashion strong, it must be invigorated by the introduction of new sustainable talent. Winners are not only chosen because of their originality but  also their creative and business reality. Previous winning designers of the award, which was launched in 2004, are Erdem and Basso and Brooke. My money is on Sarah Eason graduate of the Royal College of Art. I loved the clothes she designed for her final year. They were brightly coloured, interesting and  original.

If you would like to invest in a creation by Fashion Fringe talent, try this Basso and Brooke floor length evening dress with green draped silk panels in a dramatic Basso and Brooke print.