ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

www.vam.ac.uk

The Victoria & Albert Museum, V&A South Kensington is the world's greatest museum of art and design, with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity. Discover 3000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from many of the world's richest cultures including ceramics, furniture, fashion, glass, jewellery, metalwork, photographs, sculpture, textiles and paintings.
The Victoria and Albert Museum has collected both dress and textiles since its earliest days. The collection covers fashionable dress from the 17th century to the present day with the emphasis on progressive and influential designs from the major fashion centers of Europe. The V&A collections also include accessories such as jewellery, gloves and handbags.

www.marionthomas.com
The first collection from the 'Marion Thomas' bridal & evening-wear design label was launched at The National Wedding Show, London Olympia, in February 2004.
This fresh, chic, sophisticated, elegant, colourful exclusive collection brought a new dimension to the world of bridal wear. Its subtle, delicate hand applied decoration is unique and individual to each dress. Her talent gives ordinary people the chance to wear beautiful clothes - beautiful in fit, fabric and design.

Many of Marion's creations have been featured in the top bridal magazines such as Brides, Cosmopolitan Bride, You and Your Wedding, Wedding and Home, Bliss for Brides, Wedding Ideas, and The Wedding Directory.

Marion Thomas' studio is based near Wimbledon and has a very fun, relaxed and stress free atmosphere - most brides never want to go home! All the dresses are made with such care and attention that Marion is happy and sad to see them leave.
With the launch of the new collection in February 2005 at the National Wedding Show in Olympia, it is full steam ahead. All initial samples are designed, pattern cut, made and fitted by Marion herself. Hand applied design and creative cutting being the signature which Marion wishes to be known for.

www.everettgroup.co.uk

Everett & Son Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors, is part of the Everett Group. Established over 90 years ago in the City of London, the firm remains an independent partnership providing a personal service to individual and corporate clients according to their needs. Fluent in English and German, as well as having abilities in French, Chinese, Russian, Romanian and Malay. It also has close working relationships with similar firms in all the major countries of the world.

 

www.fashion.arts.ac.uk 

London College of Fashion is a unique centre of learning. With an international reputation for fashion education, London College of Fashion offers an unparalleled range of courses for students; from fashion design and technology, management and marketing to communication, promotion and image creation. The college's emphasis lies firmly on professionalism and aiming to create an inspiring and instructive learning environment for students.
Fashion is an international language. This outlook is reflected in the high number of international students that come to the college. This is further enhanced by the many academic links with colleges across the world. UK and European students are also encouraged to study their subject with a global perspective. To help aid them in this approach exchange programmes have been set up in New York, Madrid, Budapest, Florence, Berlin and Amsterdam. Students are also offered the opportunity to undertake work experience abroad.
The college and the fashion industry enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship, one that the London College are constantly seeking to expand. The success rate of graduates gaining fashion-related employment is high, reflecting both the college's reputation for excellence in fashion education and the fact that this is recognised by the industry.

  www.royal-needlework.co.uk

The Royal School of Needlework is unique in the field of hand embroidery.
Founded in 1872, it has a wealth of experience and expertise and its aim remains the same today as in previous centuries; to teach the art of hand embroidery.
The Royal School is a registered charity. Based at Hampton Court Palace since 1987, it continues to train apprentices and students to the highest possible standards enabling them to pass on the skills to future generations of embroiderers.

www.embroiderersguild.com
Founded in 1932 by the Embroiderers' Guild, Embroidery magazine is the world's longest-standing title dedicated to the art of embroidery. Today it is recognised as a leading force in the world of art textiles publishing.
Embroidery surveys the British and international textile scene, presenting the latest developments in stitch today. Throughout its pages, Embroidery analyses the where, when, how and why of embroidery - with compelling articles on practicing artists, collections, leading designers, historical and world textiles. Read by tutors, students, enthusiasts and experts alike, Embroidery's articles are clear, informative, insightful - and supported by beautiful imagery.
Embroidery is published six times a year. For further information and subscription details visit www.embroiderersguild.com/embroidery

The Embroiderers' Guild is an international crafts organisation, educational charity and registered Museum, and the UK's leading body dedicated to the subject and practice of embroidery. The Guild has 240 Branches in the UK and Ireland and is committed to extending the opportunities it offers to the widest audience.
The Guild's mission is to provide opportunities for discovery and creativity, and has a philosophy of not only providing opportunities for people to learn how to embroider, but to learn through embroidery. The Guild's Museum Collection of embroideries gathered from around the globe supports this aim, providing many opportunities to explore not only cultural difference but the many things which are common to us all.
The Guild promotes a life long engagement with embroidery through its learning programmes, and notably provides opportunities for young people who wish to practice or study embroidery and textile arts through its Young Embroiderers organisation, with 1,300 Members and 100 groups, and its service for those aged 18-25. The Guild awards two scholarships annually, as well as the Embroiderer's Guild New Designers Award. It also selects graduates from around the country to exhibit in The Knitting and Stitching Shows.
Membership of the Guild is open to all. For further information visit www.embroiderersguild.com email administrator@embroiderersguild.com
Apartment 41, Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU, tel: 020 8943 1229.

www.powerhousemuseum.com

The Powerhouse Museum, Australia's largest and most popular museum. Its unique and diverse collection of 385,000 objects spans history, science, technology, design, industry, decorative arts, music, transport and space exploration. It presents 22 permanent exhibitions and several temporary exhibitions, complemented by more than 250 interactives. The Powerhouse will further its reputation as a museum that celebrates human creativity and innovation in ways that engage, inform and inspire diverse audiences.
The Museum believes in engaging its diverse audiences, promoting scholarship and presenting its collections and programs in ways that captivate the intellect and challenge the human spirit to excel. www.powerhousemuseum.com