Fashion and charity have always been interrelated, but it is most encouraging when more and more young people become involved in this initiative. Brillante, a fundraising show held by a team of young, creative and motivated people joined by a common passion for fashion and a strong will to help local community, took place on February, 25th at Display Gallery in London. The show introduced young British and Latvian designers, and all funds raised were dedicated to Children’s Society, a charity that helps children of all faiths and gives them a better chance in life. We caught up with Laura Vevere, the brains behind the project and creative director of the show, to discuss how this idea came to life and her views on fashion and charity.
What is your background and how did this idea come to fruition?
In Latvia, I was working as a dance teacher and, eventually, I ended up coaching one of the best cheerleading teams; we had the fantastic opportunity to participate in European and international championships. These experiences sparked a wider interest for events, and when I graduated collage, I came to London to study Events Management. In the second year of my studies, I knew I would like to explore the fashion industry more, so I started applying for internships. My first experience was working for designers like House of Holland, Fyodor Golan and KTZ. I started attending as many shows as possible – Riga Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Graduate Fashion Week and Parcha Fashion Show among others. At that time, I noticed that there aren’t a lot of Latvian designers involved, therefore, I decided to organize a show that would represent English and Latvian designers.
Tell us a few words about your team and their role.
Teamwork has been and will always be one of the most important things for me. If you got the right team and you know how to see the talent in each person, any project you take on will be successful. I like to set goals and try my best to achieve them along with my team. It took me a year to put it together, because I was looking for people who knew what they wanted from this project and how they will use their new knowledge for their future career. I am so blessed to be working with such amazing and talented people.
How did you choose the charity you donated to?
“If we are young and have the opportunity to learn, create and achieve, others should too.” This sentence says it all; this project is about coming together and enjoying the things we love. We support and motivate each other – why shouldn’t other young people be able to have the same experience as we do?
Why did you choose to collaborate with emerging fashion designers and how did you come to select those who participated?
As I am young and know how hard it is to break into this industry, it was a great way of knowing new people; we are literally helping each other gain new exciting experience. For the first show, it took quite some time to find the right designers, because we wanted to see creative approach and desire to participate.
Which was the biggest challenge you faced producing your first show?
As I attended my first fashion show one and a half year ago before the actual Brillante Fashion Show happened, it was really challenging to motivate and convince myself that everything was going to be alright. I think that a lot of young people sometimes are scared of rejection. However, I overcame my fears, I set a goal, did my research, never stopped dreaming, worked as hard as never before and, in the end, organized my first show. I would say people should always believe in themselves even if someone is saying that their dreams are too big. Let me tell you a secret: my biggest dream was to be announced at the London Fashion Week official page. At the beginning, I thought it would never happen, but had that thought in the back of mind. And guess what? One year later, it came come true. To see Brillante next to other events was unbelievable.
Where do you think the industry stands in fashion and philanthropy right now?
From my point of view, there are a lot of brands supporting different charities, and trying to educate and create awareness of problems that people face around us on a daily bases. However, we should question whether consumers really care about the values companies represent or it is just a moral self-realization through consumption.
What should we expect from Brillante in the future?
The main goal is to make Brillante Fashion Show a seasonal event that will happen in September and February, when the main fashion events take place in London, as well as to support and create awareness for the “The Children Society” in the future.
For more information and purchasing Brilliante T-shirt line, visit www.brilliantefashionshow.co.uk.
Images © Brilliante
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