About Fashion Angel
Fashion Angel is a London-based fashion business consultancy and accelerator that provides mentoring, business planning, funding support, and professional development services for entrepreneurs and companies within the fashion industry. Founded in 2012 by Alison Lewy, the organization focuses on helping fashion start-ups and established brands develop sustainable, commercially successful businesses by combining creative expertise with practical business guidance. [1]
History
Fashion Angel was established in 2012 after founder Alison Lewy identified a gap in industry-specific business support for emerging fashion entrepreneurs. Prior to founding the company, Lewy served as Commercial Director of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London, where she frequently encountered graduates and designers seeking advice on launching and growing fashion businesses.
Drawing on her experience as both a fashion designer and business consultant, Lewy created Fashion Angel to address one of the fashion industry’s persistent challenges: the high failure rate of new fashion businesses caused by limited commercial knowledge rather than a lack of creativity. [2]
Mission
Fashion Angel’s mission is to help fashion designers and entrepreneurs bridge the gap between creativity and business by providing the knowledge, tools, mentoring, and financial support needed to build sustainable fashion enterprises. The organization emphasizes long-term business viability through education, strategic planning, and industry connections. [3]
Services
Fashion Angel offers a range of services tailored to different stages of fashion business development, including:
- Business mentoring and coaching
- Fashion business consultancy
- Start-up funding and loan support
- Business planning assistance
- Workshops, masterclasses, and networking events
- Strategic planning and brand development
- Supplier sourcing guidance
- Product development and merchandising advice
- Investment readiness support
- Business accelerator programmes [4]
Target Audience
Fashion Angel works with:
- Emerging fashion designers
- Fashion start-ups
- Independent fashion brands
- Established fashion businesses seeking growth
- Fashion entrepreneurs
- Universities and fashion education providers
- Corporate organizations supporting the creative industries [5]
Funding Support
One of Fashion Angel’s notable services is its support for fashion entrepreneurs seeking business finance. The organization acts as an official delivery partner for the UK’s Start Up Loans programme, assisting applicants with business plans, financial forecasting, and loan applications specifically designed for fashion businesses. [6]
Industry Partnerships
Fashion Angel has collaborated with numerous organizations across the UK’s creative and fashion sectors, including:
- Royal College of Art (RCA) Innovate Accelerator
- Fashion and Textile Museum
- British Library Business & IP Centre
- UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT)
- Enterprise Nation
- Fashion District
- Cockpit Arts
- Various further and higher education institutions [7]
Leadership
Fashion Angel was founded by Alison Lewy, a fashion entrepreneur, consultant, and author. Before launching Fashion Angel, she operated her own fashion label for more than 15 years and worked with luxury fashion brands as a sourcing and production consultant.
In 2016, Lewy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of her services to the UK fashion industry and her work supporting fashion entrepreneurs. [8]
Business Model
Rather than functioning as a traditional fashion label or retailer, Fashion Angel operates as a business support organization specializing in the fashion sector. Its model combines consultancy, mentoring, education, funding access, and professional networking to help creative businesses achieve commercial success. [9]
Recognition
Fashion Angel has become known within the UK fashion ecosystem for its specialized support of fashion entrepreneurs and creative businesses. The organization has delivered accelerator programmes, mentoring initiatives, and educational workshops aimed at improving the commercial capabilities of designers and fashion founders.
