Barry Laden

Barry Spencer Laden MBE FRSA is a British fashion entrepreneur and occasional writer. Educated at City of Portsmouth Boys' School and the University of Westminster, his first retail venture was located in London's Fulham Road in 1987. He is best known for his creation of The Laden Showroom, the UK's largest independent showroom and retail space used for the promotion of small independent fashion designers, based in London's Brick Lane. He also created The London Fashion Bus, which toured the UK in 2003-4 and founded womenswear fashion brand Renée London. His latest venture, a garment factory in London's Mile End called East End Manufacturing, opened in October 2012 and was officially launched by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson on 26 February 2013. He has been a speaker on two occasions in committee rooms at the House of Lords, including giving a keynote speech on UK manufacturing in March 2014. At the age of 11, as a prize for winning a national essay competition, he was saluted by the entire Royal Navy on the rehearsal of the Fleet Review off Spithead, representing the Royal Family on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II.