Henry Holland to speak at Pure London

Leading London fashion trade fair, Pure London, has tapped British fashion designer Henry Holland as its second keynote speaker for its upcoming edition in July. Together with Pam Hogg, Henry Holland is set to take to the stage at Pure London, running from July 23 to 25 and share his expert industry insights on the cusp of his eponymous label 10 year anniversary.

The designer's speech, which is set to take place on Monday, July 24 at 3.20 pm, will cover a wide array of topics including his unconventional route into the fashion industry, how brands can remain authentic, collaborations, how he keeps customers engaged as well as his greatest challenges. "Henry is a much loved and respected figure in the industry and we are delighted to welcome him to Pure London," commented Julie Driscoll, Portfolio Director for Pure London. "I think visitors will find his address insightful and informative."

Holland first caught the industry's interest back in 2006 with his iconic ‘fashion groupies’ slogan tees. In early 2008, after showing for two seasons with Fashion East, his label House of Holland held its first solo show on schedule during London Fashion Week to critical acclaim. Since then his brand has continued to grow and is now an internationally established brand, stocked in leading department stores such as Colette, Opening Ceremony, and Liberty.

However, he reflects on his "alternative" approach to starting out in the fashion industry, noting; "I kind of worked back to front and launched my business with one of the most commercial products that you can which is a printed t-shirt, and then I built an aesthetic off the back of that... I did that whole process completely back to front. The biggest challenge for me has been communicating to the consumer and the media that we are more than a t-shirt brand."

Holland will also speak about growing his business overseas at Pure London, focusing on China, in particular, a market which accounts for 26 percent of its business share, as House of Holland prepares to launch open its debut concept store in the country. "I would like to build our own retail concept whether that’s bricks and mortar or more of an online proposition. To create something that showcases our world as a whole, as an entirety encompassing all our collections and product categories under one roof, there’s an opportunity there to create something really exciting," he added.

The British designer adds to a line-up of more than 30 inspiring speakers across the three days, including Sunday’s keynote address by Pam Hogg. Other key speakers at Pure London include Alice Ratcliffe, Brand Lead, Appear Here, Olivia Cantillon, Director, Ownthelook.com and Nichole de Carle, Lecturer at London College of Fashion for Activewear, Lingerie, and Swimwear Design.

Henry Holland Photo credit: Mariano Vivianco