London Fashion Week may barely be over but it's already time for sponsors to take stock and look at funding for next year and according to some reports, it's not looking good. UK Trade & Investment, a government body that sponsors the international buyers programme for LFW, could withdraw hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of public money if organisers don't lift their game to ensure good model health.
Following Baroness Kingsmill's 'Model Health Inquiry' published just prior to LFW, organisers at the British Fashion Council will be left under further pressure to implement the recommendations as set out in the report. "Our future support will be based on arrangements made in liaison with the London Development Agency [another of the event's sponsors]. This will be subject to key decisions made by the Mayor in relation to funding," Andrew Cahn, UKTI's chief executive, told The Independent.
Mayor Ken Livingstone added that he would be under "huge pressure" to withdraw LDA funding if the assembly felt that the Model Health Inquiry had not had the desired effect.
London Fashion Week heavily relies on sponsorship with £1m each season coming from sponsors including Canon, Tesco and BA. The LDA is, at present, negotiating a new sponsorship deal with the BFC following the ending of its three-year deal worth £620,000.
[Source: Independent / Catwalking.com via Getty]