Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the year 2009

Vidler & Nixon

The six finalists of the British Council's first ever Young Fashion Entrepreneur award have been announced and Kerry Nixon of designer label Vidler and Nixon is among those selected to travel to India for the next stage in the competition. Joining Kerry will be womenswear designer Kate Tailyour, Annegret Affolderbach of Choolips, Maria Elena Corchero-Martin of Lost Values, Simeon Hartwig of Bantum and Sissy Rooney of fashion education organisation, Street Style Surgery.

For Kerry who launched Vidler and Nixon in 2006, the trip to India could be crucial in the international development of the label which specialises in modern tailoring and must-have coats with customers including Sienna Miller, Keira Knightly and Bjork. "We use silks and beading extensively in our collection and India could be a key producer and manufacturer for us as our business grows," says Kerry who will be heading to Tokyo this month to lecture at Design Week.

Over 30 fashion entrepreneurs applied for the award which has been established following the British Council's launching an International Fashion Entrepreneur Award in 2008. "It's not about being a creative," explains the UK Award's Acting Manager, Karen Kindley. "It's about the entrepreneurial spirit working within the creative industries. There are no set networks for these people, and that's what we are trying to build." Nine candidates underwent interviews with the judges including Anna Orsini from the British Fashion Council and Michael Oliver-Salac of Blow PR.

The finalists will spend 13 days in India meeting key people from the fashion industry and then face re-interviews at which they will be questioned about their experiences and how they would spend the £5,000 award which must be used to fund a project collaborating with a person or organisation in India. The winner will be announced at a presentation to be held during February's London Fashion Week.

Words: Marian Buckley

For more information visit: http://www.creativeconomy.org.uk/UKYCE/index.asp?ID=34