Thumbs up from acclaimed designer, Wayne Hemingway

Wayne Hemingway, the English creative designer and co-founder of Red or Dead and Vintage, has spoken of how Londonderry is “energised and confidently building a real legacy,” following his recent visit here to be part of the Fashion Fest.

Hemingway, who was first invited to the city back in 2012 to offer advice and assistance in the city’s bid for City of Culture status, is now a regular visitor contributing to a number of key events in the city including the Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival and just last month, the city’s first Fashion Fest.

Writing in his blog he remarks how well the city is looking and how a new air of confidence exists following a very successful year in 2013 as UK City of Culture.

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He wrote: “Returning in November 2014 I met up with the team who had worked so hard to make 2013 such a resounding success and found the city in rude health and the team energised and confidently building a real legacy.

“The city was looking magnificent, spotless and my run across the Peace Bridge, through Ebrington Square and along the new riverside walkways as first light lit up an eerily flat River Foyle was so uplifting that I am planning to come back and run to the beaches next time (maybe the Derry Marathon in May?)“

Wayne Hemingway is full of praise for the Fashion Festival and the brand new Fashion hub that has opened in Shipquay Street.

He remarked: “The Derry Fashion Hub is a wonderfully thought out facility that is exactly what our town centres need. A space for young designers to work, be mentored and be able to access the kind of machinery and facilities (not to say visibility) that they could not hope to own in their studios. “It’s a place to swap ideas and feel part of an industry rather than that lonely and often debilitating situation of working in isolation as so many young designers have to.

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“The Fashion Hub and its incubator units is the perfect stepping stone from design education into starting a business and is just one of the wonderful legacies that City of Culture 2013 bequeathed to the good folk of Derry.”

Oonagh McGillion, Director of Legacy with Derry City Council said the backing of Wayne Hemingway was significant in the ongoing legacy work that is being done to continue with the momentum of 2013.

“We are delighted that Wayne Hemingway is so supportive of our city and the initiatives we have developed that support and embrace our cultural industries. His positive feedback and endorsement are fantastic as we make plans to host our second Fashion Fest next year,” she added.

To read Wayne Hemingway’s blog in full visit - http://www.hemingwaydesign.co.uk/blog/legen-derry

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