It would be such a shame if this awesome shop had to close:

SAVE OUR SHOP – BRITISH DESIGNERS @ FASHIONCAPITAL BOUTIQUE BATH

British Designers@FashionCapital offers retail support to London Fashion Week designers alongside new talent. In line with the mentoring and support work FashionCapital provides to the UK ’s emerging fashion industry the boutique provides an outlet for London Fashion Week designers to sell their previous season stock at discounted prices and for new labels and graduates to showcase and sell their designs – often for the first time.

Since opening in September the project has engaged with the local community, up-and-coming designers and students studying at Bath Spa University giving them essential insight into the tough fashion industry. The feedback from customers has been incredibly positive - they love the unique product offer, the designer discounts and the fact they are supporting UK based businesses.

FashionCapital operates on a not-for-profit basis and only takes a small commission from each sale to cover running and staffing costs; a large proportion of each sale goes directly to the designer. To operate at this level, as the company has in the South East, the outlet needs the backing of the local council and to be awarded discretionary rate relief. British Designers, 14 Milsom Place , Bath has been operating on the understanding that the council would not charge full commercial rates in light of the company’s not-for-profit status and that it engages with the community and local educational bodies. However, after 10 months of waiting for a response Bath & North East Somerset council have concluded that British Designers must pay full commercial rates.

We are currently appealing against this but if the council refuse to alter their decision we will be forced to close immediately and will no longer be able to support designers with a retail outlet in the South West. Please do not let this happen, Britain is already becoming a clone town country with the same high street chains wherever you go. Please support us click on the link and sign our petition.

Much thanks the team at British Designers@FashionCapital, Bath

http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/british-designersfashioncapital-bath-save-our-shop/2977

British Designers @ FashionCapital, 14 Milsom Place Bath BA1 1BZ

Accessories are a fab way of instantly updating the look of an outfit. Not only can you make casual outfit dressier; just by changing the shoes and bag, but you can re-work outfits you’ve had for years. Add a handbag in the latest colour or a pair of ‘must have’ shoes, and your outfit from yesterday will be brought bang up to date.

Accessories are becoming such an important part of every wardrobe and as a result, Kinder Bueno has spotted a new social group of young, fashion-conscious women, emerging from the economic downturn – the accessorista, women who accessorise and recycle their wardrobes with every season.

Kinder Bueno’s Vanessa Kennedy said: “The emergence of the accessorista comes as shoppers are becoming more conscious about revamping their wardrobe and instead opting to treat themselves with smaller, less expensive pieces in order to revamp their look. It seems to be working and having a positive impact on their confidence and purse. It seems a little bit of what you fancy is good all round! So we’re thrilled to be giving our consumers an opportunity to win their very own designer bag, an accessory we know they’ll love!’

Kinder Bueno is offering you for 100 days the chance to win your very own must-have designer bag in a daily prize draw. Running until December 2009, participants simply need to log onto www.bueno-designerbag.com to enter the free prize draw and win a little bit of what you fancy!