WE ARE FEP LAUNCHES NEW DIGITAL SERVICES - COVID SERIES

The recent pandemic caused the fashion industry to pause and reset. Becky Mullins, Creative Director at We Are FEP, has outlined how they have been adapting to the changes and supporting the industry by creating a digital presence for their company and the emerging brands and graduates they support. We Are FEP is a one stop creative production company, offering all types of fashion production from shoots, runways, installations, pop ups and parties. The creative division of the company represents models, makeup artists, stylists and photographers, as well as Art Directors and performers. We Are FEP works with brands from startup, assisting them on branding, sales marketing, and all types of content creation leading on to PR with their experienced PR division. Their core aim is to create memorable fashion experiences and events that monetise the brand and gain global exposure for the brand.

When lockdown began, Becky started the free of charge YouTube channel Fashion Inc, allowing companies to submit their brand video to promote themselves and help build relationships, aiding the audience to see the faces behind the brands. Becky runs IGTV live videos with these brands every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, increasing their social media following and connecting them with bigger audiences. Through this medium, they have assisted the brands in becoming more digital, and clients have claimed they love the way it has significantly gained them more followers on social media. As a company, it has also meant an increase in business for We Are FEP, as the audience see the faces behind the company, strengthening relationships, building trust, and garnering further brands looking for mentoring, branding and PR services. Becky explained that, “The change was strange at first, but now we have adapted to it, and love the time it gives us to do things in a new digital way, as opposed to rushing around London attending meetings and spending half the day stuck on public transport. We are thus able to use our time more efficiently in assisting our clients.”

We Are FEP work with their clients on all aspects of fashion business to help build fashion brands with longevity. They themselves have adapted and rebranded and their new website will be launched in the next few weeks with the facility to stream digital events from their website. With the current Covid situation meaning that no events will happening for the foreseeable future, We Are FEP have moved with the new digital way of working, planning digital fashion shows, installations and e-commerce pop ups. They have also recently partnered with the Fashion Channel in Milan in order to also stream their shows to their 2 million subscribers.

Becky Mullins Director- We Are FEP

All enquiries enquiries@fashioneventsandproductions.com

Instagram

You tube channel Fashion Inc

We Are FEP new website will be live in August

DESI DOLLS WHERE FAITH, FAMILY AND FUN MEET

The Desi Doll Company was set up in 2008, it designs, manufactures and distributes unique and interactive educational Islamic toys. This North London based company has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2020.  Farzana Rahman, Owner & Director, speaks to Centric about her experience as a busy mum and entrepreneur.

Tell us about Desi Dolls, where did the idea originally come from?

The idea came from my children’s need to learn about their faith.

 I was searching for toys that would help consolidate their Islamic learning but I couldn’t find any. At that time, I was a busy Mum in London juggling work in an investment bank with day-care, commuting, meal planning and bedtime. Finding the space to also create a fun atmosphere to teach my children about Islam seemed nearly impossible. As a mother, I knew I had to do something to change this. I left my city job, and I designed Aamina and Yousuf talking dolls that recited Surah Fatiha and Surah Ikhlas, some Islamic phrases and fun songs about Islam.

Aamina and Yousuf are global citizens of the world helping children from around the world to learn about Islam. Designed to be a fun, educational toy, these talking dolls recite verses from the Quran in Arabic and then translate them into English, French, Turkish and Malay. The dolls include fun, catchy songs targeted at kids between the ages of 3-6 years to help them learn basic Islamic teachings.

Starting a new business is never easy, what obstacles did you have to overcome? 

 It was a steep learning curve. I don’t have a design background, or any knowledge of running a business. But I embraced every challenge as they presented themselves, such as funding, researching, sampling, visiting factories in China, marketing and sales to name just a few. There have been highs and lows of course, but thanks to the Almighty, my toys have been well received by customers all over the world, and 11 years on we have an ever-expanding range of toys with a strong future.

How has Covid-19 impacted your business and what measures have you put in place to overcome them? 

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our business. Firstly, on our production lines in China, which as a result meant our Ramadan lines were severely delayed, and secondly the impact on our ‘resellers’ business. With physical stores shut all over the world, many of our Ramadan orders were cancelled. We had to shift our sales mindset from being B2B to B2C almost overnight, relying on online selling platforms to meet the demands of our savvy online customers.  

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a new business?  

From my own experience, I would give the following advice to anyone looking to start their own business. First of all, make sure you have a unique product, and make sure there’s a demand for it. To achieve this you will need to do research, and figure out your sales channels. You will also need to get the pricing point right from the start, allowing good margins for both Distributors and retailers.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I like to exercise, usually running 5 km. I enjoy going for long nature walks with my family, and playing board games with them. I also enjoy reading about Islam and cooking.

What was it like winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade?

Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is an amazing feeling as it is the most prestigious award a British Business can achieve. I really felt that I had accomplished something very big and that my hard work was finally being recognised. I am especially proud because we are an Islamic business and it’s a great achievement for both my business and for the community that we serve, to have this recognition from Her Majesty.

 Farzana Rahman - Owner

Desi Doll Company toys online at www.desidollcompany.com

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

By Beverley Bramwell

Ambitious, bossy, pushy are some of the names I've been called, and others I don’t care to mention. 

The unasked question is ‘who do you think you are?’ 

I’ll tell you who I am.  I’m the daughter of immigrant parents, grammar-school educated with an MBA from a London university.  There’s nothing remarkable about me, other than I’m a woman of colour who dared to take a seat at the table and who wasn’t afraid.  I was raised with the belief that I could be anything I wanted to be. My dad said it might be difficult, but that it shouldn’t stop me going after my dreams.

I’ve carried around the gift of self-belief with me and in difficult times I’m reminded of what my dad said. So, I understand why people couldn’t understand me and questioned why I thought I had the right.  However, having self-belief at times made me believe that maybe I was too much. Because after a while the micro criticism begins to wear you down.  At the same time, society was indoctrinating us to accept that women were less than. We didn’t deserve equal pay or equal treatment in the workplace.   Go home and be a good girl. A nice girl, one who knows her place. We were girls, but they were men.  Nice girls don’t speak up, are not ambitious and don’t push themselves forward. They wait to be chosen.  

That was 25 years ago. Much has changed, but attitudes towards women less so.  Legislation has brought gender discrimination to an end, but the gender balance in companies in 2019 revealed that only 28.6%​ ​of women are in executive leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies and this is even less across the FTSE 250.   There is no shortage of intelligent, capable women candidates and yet the target of 50% women leaders by 2020 in the UK is unlikely to be met. Female leaders of colour are even less well represented.   Many companies are still not ready to see women leaders, even though research supports the evidence that women-led organisations have a better culture and they do not impact the profits negatively.   

Women in Business

The existence of the ‘nice girl’ also perpetuates the business culture. Women aren’t pushing themselves forward because they don’t want to be labelled ‘difficult’.  I remember a quote from the actress Emma Watson on being known as a feminist: “Apparently I am among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and unattractive.”  As I said previously it’s being seen as ‘too much’. 

Sheryl Sandberg said that women should lean in and for a long time I agreed with her. I don’t anymore, because the gentle approach isn’t working.  We talk about ‘disrupting’ business and that Is what I think is required now.   If you want to be in the room where it happens, leaning in is not enough.  Put your hand up! You want to be seen and heard.  You’re here and you’re not going away. 

Who do I think I am? Just watch me and you will find out. 

Beverley Bramwell is a Success coach. She helps women leaders to boost their impact and influence, so they stand out for leadership and promotion.   To find out more about her check her LinkedIn profile and send her a connection request ​www.linkedin.com/in/beverleybramwell