New York, London, Milan, Paris and now............Bristol. Horfield to be exact.
A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the St Peters Hospice inaugural fashion show, showcasing their Autumn/Winter beauties. Hopefully it will be the first of many as the Horfield team and volunteers really showed everyone how it's done.
They turned their flagship store into a temporary catwalk for the night and delighted the audience with a potted history of fashion though the ages which was a great concept and kept us all guessing. The whole evening was so professional and not knowing what to expect, I was really surprised at the lack of nerves the models (staff, volunteers and friends) displayed. It takes a lot of guts to get up and put yourself in the limelight. Most people shy away from anything in that arena, I cringe at my own husband taking photos of me for this blog let alone strutting my stuff in front of 100 strong audience. But they genuinely appeared to be having a great time and really got into the spirit of things, showing off the pieces brilliantly.
On a selfish note, it was lovely to spend an evening with some great people as l was lucky enough to bring a couple of friends, my sister-in-law and John. Poor long-suffering John. Even he said though that he enjoyed it and couldn't believe that it was their first ever show.
The night was an amazing success and I (of course), bought several pieces as did my friends. I will write about them soon! I still cannot believe the bargain prices I paid to be honest. I went away grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Unlike the expression on John's face which was one of concern. Concern that yet more pieces are joining my dressing room (which is slowly encroaching on the rest of the house). Every piece was available to buy on the night so of course I was one of the first people to run up the stairs and stake my claim(s). I may have offended some of the models as they were still in a state of undress when I entered with Rhianna and Katie on my heels.
Trivia alert.........did you know that the first designer fashion shows started in Paris (where else) over a century ago, although there are accounts of some being held many, many years ago in front of royal courts. The next of the big four - New York, started holding theirs after WW2 when they wanted to detract the focus away from Paris. London, surprisingly, is the most recent of the 'Big Four' to hold bi-annual fashion shows. Fashion weeks as we know them today are massively glamorous (and expensive) events where designers get to showcase their proud designs to the world (and some very picky front row celebrities).
Anyway, I shall finish by letting you scroll through the pics below which will hopefully give you a feel for the evening. I (unfortunately) have definitely got the fashion show bug, St Peters being the number one choice but until their next show (which I hope is very soon), I suppose Chanel will do.
Lady in red, reminiscent of 1940's glamour
Very risqué. John perked up at this point!
I loved the structure of this cocktail dress, almost like a lampshade style bottom!
Classic elegance
This lady totally rocked whatever she wore. She looked incredible.
Hippy Chic!
A nice workwear ensemble. I'm all for adding a splash of vibrant colour to an otherwise dull office outfit. I am always encouraging our shoppers to go for a bright accent colour. It is so easy to shop for workwear staples and stick to dull hues like navy, grey etc. They need something to sharpen them up!
This model looked so at ease throughout the whole evening. She was amazing and so lovely to watch. She really seemed to enjoy every minute and she brought her own style to each outfit. We were in awe of her.
A Jackie O' style shift and incredible matching boots.
The photo does neither justice unfortunately.
This one made me smile. I am sure it was a Wallis dress. It's one of our classics that we do every year in various colours and is consistently a best seller for us.
I desperately wanted this dress but there is no way I could have done it justice (code for......there was no way it was going to fit).
There were lots of sparkly numbers on display, showcasing some lovely Christmas party options in-stores.
Another lovely 40's style outfit complete with headpiece
I loved the styling of this outfit and again, desperately wanted this cardigan. Alas, I was beaten to it by another keen forager!
My friend Rhianna will confirm this, the minute I saw this fake fur jacket, I laid my claim. God forbid anyone get there before me. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to get it first and it is hanging proudly in my dressing room. I cannot wait for a Christmas occasion to be able to show it off.
This dress reminded me of an Alexander McQueen dress that Kate Middleton wore to a film screening while in the States. That dress was dove grey which is difficult colour to pull off but she looked beautiful and this one looked just as good. One of my favourites of the evening without a doubt.
The Christmas Jumper finale! Brilliant way to end a really great show.
This dress may not have been the last one of the night but Valentino always finished his catwalk shows with a red dress and if it's good enough for Valentino.........
So there you have it. Just a small selection of some of the best outfits. I would have loved to have shown them all really. Lord knows I bought enough of them. It was an amazing evening though and I am really proud to say that in a couple of weeks I will be a part of this organisation.
I cannot wait to be involved in the next one.
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