Hackney Fashion Lab to support young designers

At the Trampery Fashion Lab new designers will have access to professional machinery. Pic: Erlend Evans

At the Fashion Lab young designers have access to professional machinery. Pic: Erlend Evans

The Trampery Fashion Lab launched on Tuesday in Hackney, attracting a curious crowd of students and designers excited to have the first look at the new project.

The Fashion Lab, located at London Fields’ social enterprise site The Trampery, is now be open to the public offering work space and professional equipment to aspiring designers.

Fashion start-ups keen to experiment with specialist machinery, such as sewing machines and pattern cutting tables, will be able to book the studio space for two-hour slots at affordable rates.

East London Lines went along to the opening to check out what young designers thought of the new space.

Jay Jariya, 23, fashion and management student from Coventry University, said: “I think it’s amazing, I had never seen anything like this before. I was amazed by the fusing press, and the rest of the machinery is great too.”

Kelly Shaw, 31, owner of a women’s wear label, said: “The machinery looks good but the space is quite small, I don’t know how people are going to fit. I also like the concept of different designers coming here to work together.”

Skilled technicians help aspiring designers out with the equipment. Pic: Erlend Evans

Skilled technicians help aspiring designers out with the equipment. Pic: Erlend Evans

Enya Fieldhouse, 21, fashion student at London College of Fashion, said: “I’m really impressed by the whole concept here, the facilities are really great too. I will definitely be coming here in the future.”

Sho Imai, fashion and business student from Coventry University, said: “It’s good because in Japan we don’t have anything like this. I have friends back there who say that the only places like this are in schools, there are no private places that you can rent.”

Adam Knight, 26, fashion buyer, said: “I think the Fashion Lab is a really cool idea, but I was expecting a bit more. All the equipment is handy, but it feels a bit claustrophobic.”

The Trampery Fashion Lab is the result of a collaborative effort between Hackney council, the Design-Manufacturer Innovation Support Centre (DISC) and the Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE) and will also offer expert guidance for aspiring designers in the fields of finance, legal, manufacturing and marketing.

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