On the 30th of January, The Industry will sit down and delve into business with statement knitwear designer Mark Fast. A regular on the London Fashion Week schedule, Mark will be interviewed by VOGUE.CO.UK fashion features editor, catwalk review writer and Industry member, Jessica Bumpus. Taking place at SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™, the meeting will look at how the designer has rewritten the script for fashion industry success.
Fast by name, fast by nature; after only four years in business Mark Fast has managed to underpin eight successful seasons with a business model that is designer driven and commercially viable. Stocked worldwide, his ready-to-wear line is worn by the likes of Rihanna, Jessie J and Rita Ora and his front row graced by Kanye West, Kate Nash and Pixie Lott. High profile collaborations with Topshop, Christian Louboutin, Swarovski, Pinko and Woolmark have expanded Mark’s fashion repertoire, compounded by the introduction of an own label diffusion line – Faster by Mark Fast – in 2010.
Meeting just before fashion week commences, The Industry’s quarterly ‘Network & Expert’ meeting couldn’t be timelier. Members will discover how Mark has prolifically built an unfailing and resilient brand in such a short space of time, and how he manages to sustain this growth in a tough economic climate? How collaborations and diffusion have garnered awareness and what high street credentials mean for luxury brand equity?
As the writer of Mark’s first VOGUE.CO.UK catwalk report, Jessica Bumpus will map Mark’s rapid rise to success. “I’m looking forward to interviewing Mark and finding out more about the inner workings of his business, what it’s like to be a young London designer, how he manages to find constant inspiration in all things knit and what he has planned for the future,” says Jessica.
Not only have his designs pushed the boundaries of modern knitwear technology, his unconventional approach to marketing continues to be the topic of controversy. Mark notoriously uses an assortment of models on his catwalk, including plus size. How has this widened his target market? And has this had a direct correlation on sales? To add to this, he infamously made headlines after shunning the opportunity to dress Lady Gaga. How has being the subject of relative scandal reflected on his brand, how did breaking these ‘rules’ resonate with the fashion establishment and how have they sought to build on his success?
Mark says, “I’m looking forward to sharing my story with Industry members in January.”
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