Rachel Peru – Model
From Friday 20th to 27th March, the city of York will be taken over with a celebration of fashion, style and creativity. There really is something for everyone, fashion shows, lectures, styling sessions and exhibitions.
The dairy is full, from the international luxury leather company Maxwell-Scott showcasing at the Grand York 5* hotel to celebrity Charlotte Crosby’s newly launched Pepper Girls Club fashion brand.
As a professional model based in Ilkley and represented by Bridge in London, I am more than aware of the fashion divide in the country, 90% of my work is London based. It makes a refreshing change to be involved in such a positive fashion event in the North and with many events selling out of tickets within the first week of launching, there’s clearly a real demand and need for such events.
I am excited to be co-organising the Silver & Sassy Fashion event at Middlethorpe Hall with former TV cook now mature model Annie Stirk. We will be celebrating silver, white, and grey-haired women with a fashion show, guest speakers and 3 course lunch. How often do we associate fashion events as something for the younger generation? I love the fact that the York Fashion Week team grasped our idea and have completely embraced our event.
We all know how difficult the financial climate is on the high street right now and it feels like events such as this where retailers join together and collaborate could be a positive step forward.
York Fashion Week brings new opportunities for independent designers and larger international brands to be linked together. I have only just discovered the American fashion brand Cabi through organising the event and when you consider it’s estimated annual turnover is $250 million and I work in the fashion industry I’m not quite sure how I’ve missed them, so I can’t be the only person that has. I spoke with local Cabi stylist Deborah Richardson who said,
“I’m so looking forward to working alongside Rachel and Annie on this amazing event. Cabi is a fashion brand, created for women by women to bring inspiration, confidence and a lasting sense of community to generations of women. ‘Cabi’ is sold exclusively through personal stylists in the comfort of your own home with friends and on an innovative app cabiTap. The event will bring the clothes to life and demonstrate the quality fit and uniqueness of women of all ages, shape, and personalities. The true essence of Cabi isn’t just about the clothing it’s about the relationships we build.”
With these comments in mind there is a real sense of teamwork within the city with venues offering spaces for the events, designers and fashion brands sharing the same platforms and creatives offering their services.
I also asked Lionel Chatard, the general manager and director of our venue Middlethorpe Hall and Spa about his thoughts on York Fashion Week,
“It is always an absolute pleasure to be involved with events in the City of York, particularly such an exciting and prestigious event as York Fashion Week. We are delighted that the Silver and Sassy fashion show will take place in Middlethorpe’s Drawing Room giving us the opportunity to show this National Trust Property.”
Since the launch of York Fashion Week three years ago, the event has made great progress and developed into a much-anticipated event in the Yorkshire fashion calendar. With such a prestigious brand as Rolls Royce Motor Cars (Leeds) on board as a Friend of York Fashion Week, the event is going from strength to strength.
For more information and booking information:
https://www.yorkfashionweek.co.uk/yfw2020-schedule/
