At a special industry showcase occasion hosted by the British Fashion Council, His Majesty The King presented LABRUM London with the Queen Elizabeth II annual award, which was originally presented at London Fashion Week in 2018. The award was initiated in recognition of the role that British design and fashion played in the nation’s trade and culture. His Majesty was joined at the event by leading figures in the fashion industry, as well as those championing sustainable fashion. LABRUM London which was founded by Foday Dumbaya, is inspired by Foday’s formative years of learning and growing up in Sierra Leone, Cyprus and London. The aesthetic of the brand is a narration of the untold stories about the diaspora merging West African values with British tailoring.
When he was the Prince of Wales, His Majesty spearheaded the establishment of the SMI Sustainable Fashion Task Force. This brings together a range of platforms, retailers and brands from all over the world to pioneer a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. King Charles also had the opportunity to meet recipients of the BFC Foundation’s scholarships and designer support schemes and view their designs which showcase and mentor opportunities to help designers build their brands, and provide financial support to up-and-coming designers.
His Majesty King Charles III watched an immersive performance created by the winner of the award following the presentation. King Charles also visited the award winner’s design studio prior to his departure, to see where his work comes to life.
The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design
The award was initially presented by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 and has since been presented in 2019 by Her Majesty Queen Camilla, in 2020 by The Princess Royal, in 2021 by The Duchess of Edinburgh, and in 2022 by The Princess of Wales. It is initiated in recognition of the role played by the fashion industry in society and diplomacy and is awarded annually, normally presented by a Member of the Royal Family. The award is presented typically to an emerging British fashion designer of women’s wear, men’s wear or accessories that shows exceptional originality and talent, whilst demonstrating value to the community and strong sustainable policies.
The design of the Award which was inspired by the Queen Elizabeth Rose was hand produced at Bauhinia Studios by Lucy Price, in the famous jewellery quarter of Birmingham in 2018.
Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI)
The SMI was founded by the Prince of Wales, and launched in 2020 at The World Economic Forum in Davos, under the mantle of the Terra Carta. SMI’s mission is to construct a coordinated effort globally, which made it achievable for the private sector to accelerate the changeover to a sustainable future. This includes aligning assiduity, investment and country roadmaps.
The Terra Carta provides a roadmap to 2030 for industries to shift towards sustainable markets, helping it to harness the collective power of Nature combined with the transformative power, invention and the private sector’s resources.
SMI Sustainable Fashion Task Force
The SMI is committed to furnishing leadership to international fashion, apparel and textile sectors, working towards accelerating the transition towards a sustainable future. The Fashion Task Force works on a Digital ID system intended to notify consumers concerning the sustainability credentials of their garments by developing verifiability around what could be considered a sustainable fashion product. The Group is also investigating how regenerating farming practices, along with raw materials are able to reverse the damage being caused to the earth.
The Fashion Task Force functions as an industry sub-group of SMI. It is chaired by Federico Marchetti, a sustainable fashion pioneer and technology entrepreneur. Its members are drawn from across a global range of platforms, retailers and brands.