New fashion design concept launches online tomorrow

Own Label is a new concept in fashion design, aiming to give new designers a chance to showcase work and have garments manufactured and sold online. Own Label post specific briefs on the website, designers then submit their designs in line with the brief and the best are published on the site to be voted for by the online community. The designs with the largest number of votes at the end of the competition are manufactured and sold through the online store with the designer's name on the label. Own Label will officially launch tomorrow during Graduate Fashion Week. Graduate Fashion Week is a natural partner for Own Label. There is a wealth of creative talent graduating from UK fashion colleges each year, with opportunities for new designers demonstrate skills in a commercial setting, Own Label hopes to provide a new channel from which the top designers of the future can emerge. www.own-label.com

Shoestudio.com relaunching this month

Shoestudio.com is relaunching this month, aiming to be a one-stop shopping destination for all footwear. Brands featured on the site include ladies brands Dune, Bertie, Pied a Terre, Guess and Head over Heels and men’s brands Paul Smith, Lacoste, Oliver Sweeney, Ted Baker and more. Customers will be able to browse by brand, category, trend or New in. Customer interaction will be accessible and shoppers will be invited to rate the shoes using badges provided online. These will be tallied and available for future customers to see a rating against those products. An interactive magazine will be launched for Autumn/Winter 2010 containing latest trends, news and style tips from a team of experts.

New Spring/Summer collection from Lazy Oaf

Lazy Oaf's Spring/Summer collection has branched out into some brand new garment shapes including T-shirt dresses and high waisted mini skirts alongside its signature printed Tees. Not to mention There is an array of colourful, all over prints including dancing bears, crayon dot and lounging leopards as well as the Oaf Polo shirt for boys and two new baseball cap designs. Key pieces in the Spring/Summer 2010 look book shot by Dan Wilton can be viewed n their website, www.lazyoaf.com. Prices in the collection range from £20.00 to £30.00 for T-shirts, skirts and dresses.

The Clothes Show Style Awards shortlist announced

The Clothes Show Style Awards in association with OK! Magazine shortlist has been announced. The event, taking place at Earls Court on Friday 25 June 2010, has Categories including Best Dressed Man, Best Dressed Woman - won last year by Fearne Cotton (pictured), Fashion Photographer, Fashion Stylist and Make-Up Artist of the Year 2010. Starting with a red carpet entrance and champagne reception, the Clothes Show Style Awards consist of the awards ceremony, an acoustic performance by Paloma Faith and end with a catwalk showcase. Presenting this year’s awards ceremony will be last year’s winner of The Best Dressed Man of the Year George Lamb. George will be joined by British Fashion Council Chairman Harold Tilman as well as last year’s winner of Fashion Stylist of the Year and Britain’s Next Top Model judge Grace Woodward, who will present this year’s Fashion Stylist of the Year. All voting will take place at clothesshowlondon.com/competitions/style-awards and closes at 1pm on Monday 7 June. See below for a full list of nominees:

The Best Dressed Man of the Year
• Alex Turner
• Alfie Allen
• Mark Ronson
• George Lamb
• Dermot O Leary
• Ricky Whittle
• Russell Brand
• Steve Jones
• Vernon Kay

The Best Dressed Woman of the Year
• Agyness Deyn
• Alex Curran
• Claudia Winkleman
• Diana Vickers
• Daisy Lowe
• Florence Welch
• Jamellia Jamil
• Paloma Faith
• Pixie Lott

Fashion Photographer of the Year
• Catherine Harbour
• Rankin
• Emma Summerton

Make-up Artist of the Year
• Pat McGrath
• Caroline Barnes
• Charlotte Tilbury

Stylist of the Year
• Nicola Formichetti
• Johnny BlueEyes
• Katy England

Free Range exhibitions to include fashion

As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, Free Range, an Old Truman Brewery project supporting new graduate artists and designers, has announced a new fashion category with three days of graduate fashion shows. Until now Free Range has presented graduate exhibitions in the creative disciplines of Art, Photography, Design, Graphics and Interiors. Extending this support to graduate fashion designers, Free Range is dedicating an exclusive catwalk-space to graduate fashion shows, with cocktails supplied by Perrier. Universities to be featured at the show include Wincester School of Art, Middlesex University and Somerset College. www.free-range.org.uk. See DIARYdates for more details.

RSPCA calls for fashion companies to enter the 2010 Good Business Awards

The RSPCA is calling on welfare-conscious fashion companies around the UK to enter this year’s RSPCA Good Business Awards, which recognise ethical business approaches to animal welfare. The RSPCA Good Business Awards fashion category, in association with Drapers, is looking to reward fashion retailers that can demonstrate excellent policies with regards to fur, leather skins and merino wool. It is free to enter, and companies can go to rspcagoodbusinessawards.com to download an entry form. The entry deadline is Wednesday 30 June 2010. Last year’s winners for achieving higher standards of animal welfare were: Neon Collective in the small retailer category, George at Asda in the large retailer category and Marks & Spencer for demonstrating an ongoing commitment to change. All entries for the 2010 awards will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Winners will be promoted on the RSPCA Good Business Awards website and achievements will be detailed in an ethical consumer guide to choosing higher welfare companies. Entrants this year will be judged on the basis of their practices in the following areas:

• Commitment to not using or selling Karakul lambskin pelts
• Fur-free policies
• Policies against the use and sale of exotic skins
• Policies on the sourcing of merino wool, cashmere and angora
• Sourcing and traceability of leather including cow, sheep or pig hide
• Innovation over the past 12 months in relation to animal welfare
• Company aspirations regarding animal welfare
• Labelling and communicating policies to customers

The RSPCA Good Business Awards evening soiree will be held on Wednesday 6 October. (See DIARYdates)