RITA ORA OPENS THE ANNUAL BRITISH DESIGNERS’ COLLECTIVE BOUTIQUE AT BICESTER VILLAGE

The hotly anticipated British Designers’ Collective at Bicester Village launched yesterday May 2nd with recording artist and British style icon Rita Ora hosting the launch alongside Caroline Rush, Yasmin Sewell and designers Henry Holland, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos of Peter Pilotto, Holly Fulton, Justin Thornton & Thea Bregazzi of Preen, Athena Procopiou, Piers Atkinson and Anna Laub of Prism.

The Collective is an exclusive collaboration between Bicester Village, one of the nine Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages in Europe by Value Retail, and the British Fashion Council, allowing young British talents to retail their collections from a dedicated pop-up boutique.

Now in its fourth year, the boutique will follow the theme of ‘Future Vintage’ offering a selection of iconic pieces inspired by British fashion past and present. Brand advisor and retail consultant Yasmin Sewell has carefully curated this year’s collection. Visitors will have the chance to discover new designers and purchase collectable must-have pieces from Britain’s most coveted fashion talents.

Designers taking part include Holly Fulton, Noel Stewart, Annina Vogel, Athena Procopiou, House of Holland, Hussein Chalayan, J.W.Anderson, Linda Farrow, Lucas Nascimento, Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchhoff, Piers Atkinson, Richard Nicoll, David Koma, Prism, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and Roksanda Ilincic; as well as jewellery from Mawi and Imogen Belfield.

An advocate of British fashion, Rita Ora has a love for vintage and homegrown talent, and her inimitable style has won her praise as one of the hottest fashion influencers in the world today. She follows in the footsteps of previous British Designers’ Collective ambassadors, who have included Alexa Chung and Thandie Newton, to support the initiative for 2013.

Desirée Bollier, Chief Executive of Value Retail Management Ltd, said:

“In our enduring commitment to supporting the rising stars of British fashion we are delighted to launch the fourth annual British Designers’ Collective at Bicester Village. The Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages have long been a stage for emerging designers to introduce their collections to discerning shoppers from around the world. The British Designers’ Collective offers an exciting opportunity to discover some of the most sought-after young designers in a single space for what is a truly unique shopping experience.”

Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, said:

“The British Designers’ Collective at Bicester Village is an opportunity for some of Britain’s most exciting designers to showcase their work alongside established heritage labels. It’s a unique and unrivalled shopping experience that allows visitors to discover new designers at a fraction of the price. The Future Vintage theme is an exciting concept exploring the synergy between the innovation and creativity of today’s designers and the quality and calibre of their work, that combined, defines them as the big names of tomorrow.”