Another successful Liverpool Fashion Week came to its conclusion last night, as the sixth edition of the city’s annual style showcase drew to a close.
Four evenings of catwalk shows, featuring local designers and big brand outlets, reached a climax at the Liverpool Marina bar and grill, as a backdrops of boats and yachts offered a picturesque setting for fashion week’s finale.
Sponsors Childsplay Clothing really lived up its name on the closing night, as family-friendly energy fuelled the occasion. Children ran about the crowd as well as on stage, participating as dancers and models. Proud mums crowded around to take photos and videos of their smiling kids.
Show organiser, mother-of-six Amanda Moss, spoke to JMU Journalism with her own children in her arms, explaining that you can have both kids and a career. “I’m a mum first and I work second,” she said. “I won’t work with anyone that has a problem with that.”
She added: “I chose a nautical theme [this year] because it has ties with the city. I try to do whatever the city is doing.”
The clothing ranged from elegant and classy, to under-the-sea through the smooth transitions of DJ Sarah Giggle, who didn’t forget to add a touch of The Beatles.
The event aimed to highlight the talent of different styles, and among those showcased were Rule One London and Spoilt Boutique.
Rule One took us to knee-high heights in classy backless dresses, then showed us how to wrap up for winter with a range of fur-clad coats and jackets. Spoilt Boutique wowed the audience with sexy full-length dresses, then continued to show off some serious skin.
The night took a vintage turn as delicate designs and 50-year-old fabricates from Friperie were displayed.
Friperie designer, Julie Austin-Kaye, said: “I’m from Chester, but I wanted the ladies from Liverpool to see [my collection]. They are much more into fashion, people in Chester are a bit more conservative. They like my clothes, but don’t have the nerve to wear them.”
For the finale, Niche displayed its bridal collection. The shimmers went from white to black to gold whilst the women in the audience dreamt about their big day.
Tracey Thomas, a freelance events manager who has worked with Moss through five out of six Liverpool Fashion Weeks, said: “Sometimes a smaller and packed venue is better than a big one.”
Photo galleries by Caoimhe Harkin. Click on a thumbnail to enlarge the images
