A Discerning Ally: How The Bicester Collection is Supporting The Next Generation of MENA Talent
Bazaar Arabia speaks to Sylvie Freund-Pickavance, Global Strategy & Business Development Director at Value Retail Management & The Bicester Collection, about its partnership with Fashion Trust Arabia, the importance of mentorship and valuable life lessons for ambitious creatives…
Mentoring programmes play an important part in nurturing talent within the fashion industry – and The Bicester Collection has stepped into a starring role when it comes to supporting up-and-coming creatives from the region.
Having partnered with Fashion Trust Arabia – a non-profit initiative, held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser of Qatar with co-chairs HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani and Tania Fares, which aims to support, highlight and award talent from the region – the retailer powerhouse has made a commitment to provide winning candidates with unique training and mentoring, helping them to reach a wider audience whilst also supporting their business and brand-building journeys.
“Everything we do at The Bicester Collection is personalised… This is also the philosophy behind our mentorship programme, which is entirely bespoke to each designer,” Sylvie Freund-Pickavance, Global Strategy and Business Development Director at Value Retail Management & The Bicester Collection, tells Bazaar Arabia, touching on how she plans to pass down her years of industry wisdom to each winner.
“To provide tailored advice and support, I work with each individual to understand their needs, their aspirations and their particular challenges. I draw on both my own business experience as well as from the diverse pool of talent within the business itself and even from our partner businesses,” she says.
Sylvie shared in-depth insight into the support candidates will be receiving from The Bicester Collection incubator programme and why it holds a special place in her heart. See Bazaar Arabia‘s interview with her below.
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): Why does it feel right to join forces with Fashion Trust Arabia?
Sylvie Freund-Pickavance (SFP): The Bicester Collection has long been committed to supporting emerging designers. We have created mentorship programmes through partnerships with fashion councils in Britain, Italy and Spain and, for more than 10 years, we have hosted new designers in our Creative Spot pop-ups across our nine Villages in Europe.
When Tania Fares, Co-founder and Co-chair at Fashion Trust Arabia, approached us to offer mentorship, we jumped at the opportunity to celebrate creativity from the MENA region. Our Villages welcome millions of discerning, fashion-loving guests from all over the world, including many from the Middle East.
HBA: What exactly is The Creative Spot and how does it help the mentees?
SFP: We have been supporting talent for over 10 years at The Bicester Collection, first since 2010 at Bicester Village under the British Designer Collection and then we launched The Creative Spot in Fidenza Village, in 2016 as a platform for rising Italian and international talent.
The Creative Spot is, today, a series of multi-brand physical and virtual concept stores across our Villages in Europe that showcase a curation of the world’s most innovative independent designers. For our guests, The Creative Spot offers discovery of collections and limited-edition pieces from the world’s most exciting up-and-coming designers.
For the designers, who all receive 100% of their respective sales, the boutiques provide unique global exposure as well as mentorship to grow their businesses. Strategically located next to the boutiques of heavyweight luxury brands, the pop-ups offer these designers high-visibility positioning among the titans of fashion. The Creative Spot is also extensively promoted through The Bicester Collection’s global PR network.
HBA: Why is this mentorship programme particularly important to you?
SFP: I am very fortunate to have had a career spanning several decades in the luxury and fashion industries in Europe, Asia and the United States. I believe that creativity must be supported by business acumen for it to be fully realised. I started mentoring designers 10 years ago; it is both pleasure and a privilege to be part of their journey. I am driven by the energy of their passion and vision, so it is a very good exchange.
HBA: What was the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mentor?
SFP: The best advice I ever received was, first, to consider the opportunity and take a decision and then, to go for it with everything you have. Every journey is different but, collectively, our stories weave a wonderful tapestry.
For more information, visit thebicestercollection.com/en and fashiontrustarabia.com
Lead image supplied.
