February 16, 2012
Beckham joined at launch by British Ambassador Sir Peter Wetmacott, Anna Wintour and other fashion luminaries to highlight importance of British Fashion Industry
NEW YORK – 16 February 2012: Victoria Beckham is to act as an international ambassador for the “GREAT” Britain Campaign, helping to promote the best of Britain around the world, the British Government announced yesterday during New York Fashion Week.
“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.
For more photos and access to b-roll footage from the event, including interviews, please visit: http://www.epklink.com/greatbritain/
Issued by XIX Entertainment