Start up Workshops - Poplar Works

Call for Applicaitons: Poplar Works Start Up Workshops

CFE, in collaboration with award-winning Housing and Regeneration Community Association Poplar HARCA, are taking on eight brand new solo and shared studio spaces will become available for emerging SME fashion and fashion tech businesses. CFE is London’s pioneering fashion and fashion tech business incubator and part of London College of Fashion (LCF), a constituent college of University of the Arts London (UAL).

The studios are situated within Poplar Works, an exciting new development in Poplar, East London, located at 384 Abbott Road, London, E14. Currently under construction, completion is expected end of September 2019.

Poplar Works is a home for East London’s fashion economy where people will come to work and gain new skills and is a partnership with Poplar HARCA, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London and the Trampery. Poplar Works is a new space that will co-locate workspace, manufacturing and education facilities. It is part of Fashion District, an East London partnership committed to making London the global capital of fashion technology. We know that over 30% of London’s fashion SMEs are based in East London and over the last 15 years CFE have supported many of them. We are building on our expertise to develop a new model of fashion business support and you could be part of our future.

In 2022 London College of Fashion’s six sites across London will combine in a purpose-built new building as part of East Bank, a cultural and educational development on London’s Olympic Park. LCF is guided by four priorities within which it will embed itself in East London:

Research – focusing on technology, sustainability, cross-disciplinary collaborations
Enterprise – supporting the UK economy through SMEs and graduate businesses, in partnership with Fashion District, and partners to supply workspace and mentoring
Education – not just through LCF courses but broadening out to the community in the local area, and those who might not otherwise have access to skills and training
Better Lives – social responsibility and community projects, working on equality, diversity and wellbeing

The Offer

Up to two years free studio space
Business support
Executive coaching sessions from CFE’s community of accredited executive coaches
Membership of a new community of SME fashion and fashion tech businesses
Access to UAL libraries
Wifi
Some studios will be furnished

Eligibility Criteria

You must be a UAL graduate, and/or previously supported or currently supported by CFE
Your business/project must be operating in the UK
Fashion and fashion tech businesses may apply.
Your business/project must have been operating for a minimum of six months
Your business/project must be, in need of space to operate
Your business/project must be or become a legal entity
You must contribute to a peer-to-peer support culture
Your business/project should be developing innovative business models with potential to re-think the fashion system
During your residency, you will be required to collaborate with other resident businesses/projects to deliver of a series of workshops/events giving back to the local community

What You Should Know

CFE are curating a community of businesses committed to innovative practices and collaboration
The eight studios are a combination of solo studios and shared spaces

Timeline

Deadline for applications 28 July 2019, 11.59pm
Interviews taking place 12 – 13 August 2019 at CFE, LCF Mare (NB these days are not flexible)
Successful applicants will be notified on 14 August 2019
Successful applicants will be required to confirm their intention to commit to a studio by 12 noon 15 August 2019
Mandatory site visits for successful applicants will take place on Friday 16 August, 4 – 6pm
Occupation date of studios is beginning of October 2019 subject to completion of building works and license to occupy contract
Businesses need to be operational in the studios by 4 November 2019

For More Information

fashion-enterprise.com