The biggest UK catwalk show outside of London brought designers, models and keen spectators to the Liner Hotel on Monday night, as Liverpool Fashion Week began.
Fashion Week’s opening session embraced its shipshape surroundings as the show’s organiser, Amanda Moss, told JMU Journalism: “I wanted the nautical theme to tie in with the 100 years of Cunard and it’s a nautical city, so it seemed right to do it at The Liner.”
The evening kicked off with a parade of designer-clad tweenies, dressed head-to-toe by the event’s sponsor, Childsplay Clothing.
The backing of the Essex-based kid’s fashion company – made famous by the TV programme ‘Minors in Designers’ – bore testimony to the clout that Liverpool’s reputation is having beyond its borders. The store’s owners, the Bassi family, used Liverpool as the stage to showcase their Essex-style influence.
JMU Journalism TV report by Eleanor Davies & Vaiva Gedvilaite
With Prosecco-a-plenty, stylish Scousers looked on as young designer, Erica Wildflower, split her ‘Diamonds are Forever’ collections into two halves. The first was a sequin-heavy ‘Studio 54’ vibe, set against a disco soundtrack, courtesy of Juice FM.
With heels of nosebleed heights, the models confidently paraded the vintage-inspired collection in front of the city’s couture connoisseurs.
After a short break, Wildflower returned in a more sombre mood. A collection boasting 50 shades of black, heavy textures and a gothic edge, the pieces were a world apart from the previous line-up. The mood wasn’t dampened though, with Merseyside duo ‘Oh Deary Me’ following on by treating the crowd to an acoustic mash-up of Fleetwood Mac and Beyonce.
Still on a high, the evening drew to a close after collections by clothing giants, John Lewis. True to current trends, models adorned the catwalk in bohemian-influenced pieces, with tweeds and heavy fabrics, appropriate for the season.
Liverpool Fashion Week guru Moss was clearly delighted with the opening night and the opportunity to support local businesses and charities, speaking with pride about being an ambassador of the James Bulger Memorial Trust.
James’ mum Denise Fergus and charity patrons were at the event, raising awareness and funds to send underprivileged children on holiday.
With shows running until Thursday night and tickets still available, full details of the remaining programme can be found on Liverpool Fashion Week’s website.
Photo galleries by Conor Allison. Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the images
