Fashion entrepreneur wins trip to India to visit vibrant fashion industry

Highland-based entrepreneur Elena Corchero has been selected as a finalist in the British Council's UK Young Fashion Entrepreneur Awards 2009. As part of the award she will be touring India, along with five other young fashion innovators, to meet with the industry leaders and to learn about India's vibrant fashion industry.

Elena founded her company Lost Values earlier this year. Lost Values is a Scottish based fashion and toy design company that develops innovative products, while recapturing endangered and forgotten values that have been lost over time. "As we move faster, and technology becomes part of our everyday existence, remembering our human side becomes a great source of inspiration." Elena explains.

Having successfully gained an interview in London, through her application to the British Council, Elena was short-listed to the final six and given the opportunity of lifetime, to tour India's fashion industry, visiting both Delhi and Mumbai.

On being selected Elena said "This is a wonderful opportunity for me and the other finalists to experience the challenges and diversity of the fashion industry in India. I am sure we will all be inspired by their creativity and their culture and I hope to incorporate that inspiration into my work."

Elena is also looking forward to working with Indian designers and communities, "The opportunity to collaborate and learn from Indian skills and traditions is amazing - it will put a whole new dynamic into my work"

The UK Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award is one of nine awards for young creative entrepreneurs, which has been developed by the British Council with support from NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and the cultural leadership programme. Over 30 fashion entrepreneurs applied for the award. Nine candidates underwent interviews with the judges, which included Anna Orsini from the British Fashion Council and Michael Oliver-Salac of Blow PR.

Launched earlier this year, the awards seek to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs in the field of fashion. Judges evaluate each candidate on their entrepreneurial ability, leadership skills, market awareness, originality of ideas and international outlook.

Elena and the other finalists will spend 13 days in India meeting key people from the fashion industry and then face a further interview at which they will be questioned about their experiences and how they would spend the £5,000 award, which must be used to fund a project collaborating with a person or organisation in India. The winner will be announced at a presentation to be held during February's London Fashion Week.