In talks with Scoop founder Karen Radley

The Scoop International Event, this season, will get new flavour as for the first time, organisers have introduced a collaboration with Royal College of Art's School of Material, to include graduate collections from across the fields of Fashion, Textiles,

Millinery, Jewellery and Ceramics. Karen Radley2 founder of Scoop International says, “our first collaboration with the RCA brings the cutting edge of home grown design into the fold; making Scoop the place for the industry to snap up the next Ossie Clark or Christopher Bailey this summer”. The RCA was founded in 1837 and is celebrating its 175th anniversary, it remains one of the world’s most influential postgraduate art and design colleges, offering MA, MPhil and PhD degrees across 20 programmes. The RCA has educated some of the world’s most influential and iconic artists, designers and makers including Zandra Rhodes, Philip Treacy and Erdem and attracts leading buyers from across the globe. With the event running at London's Saatchi Gallery 8th-10th July, FashionUnited caught up with Karen Radley to learn more about the collaboration.

How

did this year's partnership with the RCA come about?
 I knew Betty Jackson and Professor Wendy Dagworthy at the RCA and thought a collaboration could be of value to both parties.

The RCA’s school of material is newly founded why were you keen to work across many different disciplines?
Yes I am keen to work with textiles, fashion and ceramics as I believe they are all relevant to fashion and design. The exciting work of these innovative young professionals will bring a glimpse of future design talent to this prestigious international exhibition.

What changes are you hoping this will bring with it? And what developments are you hoping to implement?
 By working with the RCA I am keen to promote and help UK and overseas MA talent. For the RCA’s graduating students this is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity to stage their designs in front of Europe’s premium UK and overseas buyers providing exposure to key retailers and press. I believe it is hugely important in supporting, the next generation of design talent and Scoop International is the right platform to provide visitors to the show a glimpse of the influencers of the future of design.

And how are you fitting in/collating graduates with the other selection of designers on show?
I am also working with the Flanders Fashion Institute from Antwerp and Ghent featuring two MA students from each college. They will be promoted in different areas of the gallery.

Image 1: graduate Alex Mullins
Image 2: graduate Hannah Morgan