“British fashion is a hugely
important global industry and our designers have the talent, creativity
and skills to rival anywhere in the world,” said British Prime Minister
David Cameron. “Contributing over £20 billion to the British economy
each year, our industry inspires. Fashion is a truly great British
success story.” Victoria Beckham’s ready-to-wear collection is handmade
in the UK and stocked in over 300 retail stores around the world. As
part of her role as a “GREAT” Ambassador, Beckham will be shooting a
short film in support of “GREAT” and the campaign will feature one of
her designs.
Beckham’s involvement with “GREAT”
was revealed during an exclusive photo shoot for the launch of a
“GREAT”- branded subway train at New York’s Grand Central Station
yesterday. As a “GREAT” Ambassador, Beckham will play a leading role in
the “Fashion is ‘GREAT’” element of the campaign, in addition to
highlighting the UK as the preeminent place in which to visit, study,
and invest.
“As the UK gears up for the London
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee,
there’s no better time to celebrate the best that Britain has to offer,”
said Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Peter
Westmacott, at Grand Central Station. “As one of Britain’s major fashion
icons, Victoria Beckham’s involvement with the ‘GREAT’ Campaign will
bring even more attention to Britain’s world-renowned fashion designers,
the magnificent range of shopping on offer and our distinctive British
style.”
An esteemed group of fashion industry insiders also lent their support to the event, including Hamish Bowles, international editor-at-large of Vogue; Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa; Jourdan Dunn, British supermodel; Karen Elson, British supermodel and singer-songwriter; Tamara Mellon OBE; David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of rag & bone; and Anna Wintour OBE, editor-in-chief of Vogue. Photographer Patrick Demarchelier photographed the event for Vogue and snapped the event’s official photograph.
“We
have some incredible British fashion talent to be proud of,” said
Jeremy Hunt, British Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and
Sport. “From royal wedding dress designer Sarah Burton to GREAT
Ambassador Victoria Beckham, British designers are among the best in the
world. There are British editors heading up some of the top fashion
magazines and their pages are filled with British supermodels. With
London Fashion Week kicking off later this week, we look forward to
welcoming the great and the good of the industry to the home of
fashion.”
British fashion is also a large
contributor to the UK’s international tourism industry, which is the
country’s third-largest earner of foreign exchange: “The US is our most
important market in terms of visitor spend , with both shopping and
fashion ranking high amongst Americans’ interests when they visit
Britain,” said Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive of VisitBritain.
The
“GREAT” Campaign is part of the UK Government’s drive to make the most
of the country being in the world spotlight this year, with the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. New
York area commuters will see the Grand Central Shuttle train wrapped in
the Union Jack and Grand Central, Hoboken and Stamford stations filled
with “GREAT” images. Travelers at JFK, LAX and Boston Logan airports
will also be welcomed by the “GREAT” Britain posters, and television
advertisements on major networks and in New York City taxis will round
out the campaign.