Coexist Fashion Show 2013

Since the railings came down around Hamilton House five years ago, it’s become a strong part of Stokes Croft’s identity, with the Coexsist Canteen becoming a popular watering hole and floors of studio space for artists, designers and exercise classes. Each year Coexsist host their own fashion show and on Thursday I was lucky enough to be able to attend, courtesy of Banker and Benefit.

Banker and Benefit is a menswear brand designed by Marcus Royall, and its trademark collections involve using charity shop sourced fabric to customise basics such as t-shirts, resulting in every piece being unique. The palette on Thursday’s catwalk was a mix of military green, gold and burgundy, and the styling included woollen long-johns and golden grills – a so-wrong-it’s-right combination.

The event marked Banker & Benefit’s fashion show debut and the brand was in fine company, with some of Bristol’s stalwart independent designers showing their collections, including Katcha Bilek, whose accessories include the beautiful ‘Carmen’ satchel, above, and Puckoo Couture.

Here are some of my favourite designs to hit the Coexist catwalk…

Styled knitwear and quilted army green trousers from Banker and Benefit

A model strikes a pose in her sequin-drenched Pink Ace outfit

This scarlet red fringe dress was one of the many highlights from designer Trina

 Vintage shirts paired with socks and gold sandals from Banker and Benefit

Local designer Frances Rennison designs bespoke tails using vintage fabric and quirky prints

 A life-size crochet toilet roll doll from Pink Ace

 The Banker and Benefit models get the crowds cheering

 Beautiful tailored pieces from design duo Hannah Bartlett and Eloise Atwell, aka Jokoto

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Bath in Fashion: S/S13 catwalk show and BIF Blogger Awards

On Thursday I jumped on a bus and spent the afternoon in Bath, to attend the Bath in Fashion S/S13 catwalk show, and find out who had been crowned Bath in Fashions’ Blogger of the Year.

♥ If you were following the #BIFBloggers hashtag on Twitter you’ll know by now that I didn’t win (that accolade went to Lorna of Raindrops of Sapphire) but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone who voted for me. I was chuffed just to be shortlisted, and I’m grateful for the tweets, Facebook messages and your comments on this blog showing your support – normal, non-‘vote for me’ service shall now resume! ♥

The sun was shining and it was a lovely day, so before the show I did a spot of window shopping and soaked up the sun next the impressive Bath Abbey, before arriving at the Assembly Rooms where the show was taking place. It was all a bit of a rush when I arrived – that’s the buzz of fashion shows for you – but I managed to meet Roisin and see Gabrielle, who I meet on Monday at the Mouvements de Femmes exhibition, before we took our places on the FROW.

Sat between Megan and Steph, I waited eagerly for the show to start, only to discover that I’d accidentally turned my camera on earlier in the day, so my battery was drained and cut out half way through the show. #bloggerfail

Luckily I managed to capture the first half, with each scene representing one of the four fashion capitals of the world. Brands included a mix of high street, designer and local independent labels, all styled by the lovely Rebekah Roy, who also selected the shortlist for the BIF Blogger Award.

I enjoyed the show but it ended quite abruptly, so I didn’t get a chance to congratulate Lorna or meet the rest of the shortlisted bloggers, which was a shame. It felt like the award section of the show was a bit of an afterthought, which is surprising, given how detailed the rest of the Bath in Fashion programme has been.

It would have been great to spend a bit more time getting to chat to everyone either before or after the show, but with another show to prep for I guess the turn around needed to be quite quick. Fortunately we were invited to a post-show event at Toast, where I met George and was able to have a proper natter with her.

Thanks to Bath in Fashion for a fun afternoon, and again to everyone who voted for me! Have you made it to any of the Bath in Fashion events yet?

Bristol Fashion Week S/S13

Bristol Fashion Week returned to The Mall and Cribs Causeway this week, armed with a pampering zone,  glasses of bubbly and catwalk shows to showcase the S/S13 trends we can expect to see on the high street this season.

Unfortunately the weather hasn’t caught up with the calendar yet, so I’m still daydreaming about when I can wear shorts, bare legs and floral dresses without freezing. However that didn’t stop me mentally picking out my favourite pieces, including this Somerset by Alice Temperley dress from John Lewis, above.

Unlike last year’s show, I had a far more enjoyable journey, hitching a lift with Nicola and arriving just in time to grab a mini cupcake, a glass of bubbly and take our seats for the show. Brands on the catwalk included River Island, Timberland, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, the latter of which had a fantastic floral scene, where oversized gerberas were used as colourful parasols.

Mark Heyes and Andrew Barton presented the catwalk show with their usual banter, and monochrome was one of the most popular trends, appearing in several scenes and on the cotton tote goody bags we received after the show. Although I have a hankering for a pair of black and white striped trousers, the scenes I enjoyed the most were the aforementioned florals, and the neon scene, also by John Lewis, including a gorgeous pleated Ted Baker maxi skirt with a neon pink trim.

The perky models, summery clothes and good company were the perfect antidote to a long week of miserable weather and while I’m still happy in jumpers and leggings for now, I’m looking forward to shopping the S/S trends soon!

The shows are still running across the weekend, so check out the BFW website for more info on ticket prices and show times. Have you been to BFW yet? What was your favourite look?

Harvey Nichols S/S13 fashion show at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Paris, Milan, New York and London may be winding down from their Fashion Weeks, but in Bristol the new season sneak peeks are just beginning, kicking off with the Harvey Nichols S/S13 show that took place on Tuesday, in the impressively grand Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Located at the top of Park Street, the museum is one of my favourite spots in Bristol, so I was intrigued to see how it would be transformed into a catwalk fit for 400 spectators. Before the show I met up with Gina, Grace, Amy and Becca for a couple of drinks and a natter at Browns, all of us wrapped up in numerous layers thanks to the freezing cold weather – where is spring when you need it, eh?

Looks included metallics, eveningwear, all-white, monochrome and print trends, and although the outfits were out of my price range, it was fun to add a few more items to my fantasy wish list – hello, Suno NY trouser suit – and get some styling ideas. One of the models, Yeon, got all the best looks, closing each scene with fun and quirky outfits including a Diane Von Furtsenberg waistcoat and a printed full length Christopher Kane evening gown.

I loved all the fishtail braids and plaits worn by the models, making me feel less self-conscious about turning up with my hair in plaited pigtails, and the bright colours had me looking forward to spring.

It was tricky to take photos during the show but I did manage to get a few of my favourite outfits, below, and thanks to Gina for letting me us the photo of Becca, Grace, Amy and myself, taken after the show.

Fashion Friday at The Station pt.2

As promised, here are more snaps from Fashion Friday at The Station. If you missed the first post, which explains a little more about The Station’s mission and the highlights of the night, you can read it here.

This batch of photographs features Clic Sargent’s Fix Up Look Sharp design duo, Shop Dutty, Sew That Jazz and Puckoo Couture, as well as designs and customised pieces from the teens that took part in the show. I loved the shimmering catsuits and clubwear from Puckoo Couture! Not to mention the vintage blue playsuit fromm Shop Dutty.

Shows like this prove how exciting and diverse Bristol’s creatives are, and if the outfits from the young designers are anything to go by, Bristol’s fashions scene will continue to flourish. Thanks again to Andree for inviting me and putting on such a great show.

Fashion Friday at The Station

Last week Andree, who hosted the recent BIB Charity Fashion Show, invited me to Fashion Friday, one of the opening events taking place at The Station in Broadmead.

Formally an old fire station, the huge Grade II listed building on Silver Street has had various functions since the fire bells stopped ringing, including hosting club nights, art exhibitions and book fairs. That all changed when Creative Youth got involved, and after months of hard work and huge investment, the building is now a central hub for young people.

When I hear the words ‘youth centre’ my mind is cast back to watching Byker Grove and spending Friday evenings drinking bland milkshakes in a dingy space that doubled up as an internet cafe during the day. The Station is so far removed from this, brimming with opportunity not only for the city’s teenage population, but also for organisations who want to hire out the space – the room where the catwalk show took place is huge, complete with staging, exhibition panels and professional sound and lighting rigs.

Fashion Friday was an opportunity to showcase both local talent, such as Shop Dutty and Sew That Jazz, and the teens who created their own catwalk designs in ‘Project Runway’ style workshops. Outfits ranged from silver catsuits to gothic lace dresses. I was impressed by the creativity and vibrancy of all the collections and.

As well as catwalk show there was live music, plenty of food and beer (with a remarkably short queue at the bar, thanks to the fact that the majority of guests were under 18) and lots of amazing artwork on the walls. The Station also has a cafe space, recording suite and dance studio I’m really chuffed I got to experience the opening celebrations and I look forward to seeing how the venue develops – I’d definitely recommend taking a look if you’re looking for a central location to host your fashion show in.

Thank you so much to Andree for the invite and to Mr Ship-Shape for taking most of these photos. We took so many that I’ll put together another post tomorrow with more images from the night.

Something for The Weekend: Fashion Friday and NYR Autumnal Open Day

Friday

The Station, formally the old fire station on Silver Street, has undergone something of a recent transformation. The launch of this exciting new venue takes place this weekend and tickets have all but sold out. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a ticket for tomorrow night, you’ll be treated to Fashion Friday – an evening of fashion shows featuring the theme ‘re-duce, re-use, re-cycle’. Designers include UWE students, Fix Up Look Sharp and Shop Dutty.

Saturday

Neal’s Yard Remedies on Whiteladies Road are hosting their Autumnal Open Day this Saturday. There will be workshops, goodie bags and discounts galore, so if you’ve ever wanted to learn about the Alexander Technique or Hypnotherapy, now is your chance. I found my reflexology taster at their recent NYR Blogger Event unbelievably relaxing, so I thoroughly recommend this Open Day if you want to treat your mind, body and soul to a bit of R and R.

Harvey Nichols A/W12 Show Highlights

A week ago I had the pleasure of attending the Harvey Nichols A/W12 Fashion Show. My budget doesn’t really extend to shopping sprees at this exclusive Quakers Friars address, except for the occasional Nails Inc manicure, but I was curious to get a closer look at the incredible designers the brand stocks, including Vivienne Westwood, Isabel Marant and Helmut Lang.

Turning up in bright floral trousers with S from Beautiful Plumage in tow, I felt a little out of place amongst a sea of women dressed in black, the only pop of colour being their sky-high neon heels. A couple of glasses of champagne helped us to relax as we waited for the show to begin on the ground floor, surrounded by Cambridge Satchel Company bags, Jo Malone scents and so-pretty-they-almost-make-me-want-one Marc jacobs iPad holders.

We were soon ushered upstairs to take our seats for the show, which took place towards the back of the womenswear department. Womenswear and menswear were both on display in scenes that gave a nod to winter florals, gothic and heritage trends, with gorgeous Barbour biker jackets and vintage capes, below, tickling my fancy.

The pieces from Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label were equally exquisit – I’ve always had a soft spot for her tailoring, and she’s definitely a designer I’d buy into if I could afford it. In this season’s Company High Street Edit magazine writer Lena de Casparis road-tests Westwood’s collection in the ‘real world’ (read: Shoreditch) which is actually worth a read if you’ve always lusted after this label.

Another outfit worth a mention was an incredible laser cut leather biker jacket by Muubaa paired with McQ printed leggings – sadly I didn’t get a good shot of it but you can see the jacket here. While I can’t stretch to the £490 price tag (despite what Jessie J says it actually is about the money) I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for a similar high street version this season.

If money were no object what big brands would you spend your cash on? Or perhaps you invest wisely in designer pieces already? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Harvey Nichols A/W Show programme

I love this Barbour biker jacket, with McQ skirt

Vintage Barbour cape paired with J Brand jeans and an olive green Burberry London shirt

Neon green Christian Louboutin heels strut down the catwalk

Want, want, want this Vivienne Westwood Red Label tweed cape

This Mary Katrantzou A/W12 Nebraska print dress features crystal and chess piece patterns

The latest A/W12 trends in Harvey Nichols, Bristol

These Joseph leather leggings tick the box for my current craving for leather, but I’m not sure I could pull them off as well as this model did!

S and I in the Harvey Nichols bar, overlooking Quakers Friars

Something for The Weekend: recession A/W show and Bath’s Vintage Sunday

Friday

Catwalk shows don’t come much quirkier than recession‘s seasonal fashion event, which takes place at the Southbank Club in Bedminster tomorrow night. Doors open at 7.45pm and tickets cost £6. The exact details are tightly under wraps but expect preloved clothes, models with attitude and the opportunity to buy clothes featurered on the runway straight after the show.

Sunday

Vintage Sunday returns to Bath’s Green Park Station this weekend. There will be over 70 stalls selling everything from 1920s lace gowns to novelty crockery. Expect period designs, goodtime bands, exquisite vintage clothing and quirky homewares. Still not convinced? Check out my post on the last Vintage Sunday event here.

Bristol Fashion Week: A Rather Unfashionably Late Entrance

On Friday after a hellish afternoon at the dentist (ok, not that hellish but I hate having to go at all) I decided to cheer myself with a trip to Bristol Fashion Week.

BFW comes to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway twice a year, bringing high street trends and the comedy duo of TV stylist Mark Heyes and celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, who present the show each season. Unfortunatly thanks to being rather unfashionably late, I missed a large chunk of their banter, including why a slab of Cadbury Dairy Milk is the latest accessory.

Luckily there were still plenty of clothes to drool over, from John Lewis, M&S and River Island. My favourite scene was ‘heritage’ set against a backdrop of Chatsworth House (along with plenty of Downton banter from Mark and Andrew).

I just love this muted colour pallete of burgandy and bottle green, thrown in with tweeds, wool and just a smattering of tartan. Heritage has been a recurring theme for several A/W seasons recently, and its one that’s so easy to wear.

One catwalk scene was also dedicated to Alice Temperly’s new label, Somerset, which recently launched exclusively at John Lewis. BFW chose to focus on her eveningwear – elegant black lace and pretty pleated dresses – but I’m actually more interested in her tailored blouses, leather pencil skirt and accessories – black and silver suede brogues, anyone?

Due to my late arrival I was at the back of the venue, but here are some of the best snaps of the afternoon.

Did you make it to Bristol Fashion Week? What are your favourite looks for A/W12?

Andrew Barton and Mark Heyes presenting BFW

Coast dresses at Bristol Fashion Week

One for the boys… Anne Summers at BFW

Somerset dresses by Alice Temperley

Space age style from River Island

Heritage A/W12 from Marks and Spencer