Smart Works Leeds joins forces with First Direct Arena

The Yorkshire fashion event of the year returns in style this November. The Fashion as a Force for Good Ball, hosted by Smart Works Leeds, will be a glittering celebration of Yorkshire fashion, Yorkshire women, and the transformative power of clothing.

Smart Works Leeds supports unemployed women from across Yorkshire to achieve interview and job success. Providing interview attire and specialist coaching, last year Smart Works Leeds helped more than 800 women to move closer to work, secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives.

Coinciding with the charity’s 5th birthday, Smart Works Leeds will host the ball and awards ceremony and pay tribute to its community of supporters at The Marriott Leeds on November 13, 2024, for a spectacular night out.

This year’s event follows the success of last November’s inaugural Fashion as a Force for Good Ball, co-hosted by journalist and presenter Christine Talbot and actor and presenter Natalie Anderson, and attended by well-known faces from TV, media, fashion and business, including Yorkshire TV presenters Amy Garcia, Amanda Harper, Sally Simpson and Kerry Gosney.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in a sustainable way that makes them feel special, perhaps wearing a dress they never thought they would, celebrating a favourite piece that tells a story, or supporting sustainable fashion by hiring an outfit. To launch the 2024 ball, Smart Works Leeds staged a fashion shoot in an exclusive Leeds rooftop location, with the charity’s volunteers modelling super-glamorous pre-loved pieces bought from a Smart Works Leeds sale.

First Direct Arena is the headline sponsor for the awards that will recognise those in Yorkshire who use fashion as a force for good, and will recognise the support of Yorkshire businesses and individuals over the year. The arena has hosted some of the biggest artists in the world since opening in 2013, and is now partnering with Smart Works Leeds as part of its ongoing commitment to empowering women to succeed.

Lisa Turton, head of sales and hospitality at First Direct Arena, said: “First Direct Arena is honoured to sponsor the Fashion As A Force for Good Ball 2024. Empowering women isn’t just a choice, it’s a responsibility. We are not just supporting women, we are investing in their resilience, confidence, and journey into the workforce. We fully support the work Smart Works do and are looking forward to celebrating this at the event.”

Natalie Anderson, Smart Works Leeds Ambassador, said: “It’s hugely exciting for me to see this event return to raise even more vital funds for the essential work we are doing to help unemployed women get the job and change their lives.”

The Fashion as a Force for Good Ball will feature a welcome reception, three-course meal and dancing, plus magic moments to inspire all. At the heart of the work of Smart Works Leeds is an understanding that clothing has the power to change the way we feel about ourselves. The charity will give out 10 awards at the ball, five recognising the special people and organisations who make the work of Smart Works Leeds possible, and five recognising Yorkshire fashion designers, creatives, influencers, stylists and retail outlets. They will be judged on commitment to sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, innovation and customer care. Entrants can nominate themselves and anyone can send in a nomination. The five fashion categories are:

Force for Good Independent of the Year - An independent fashion designer, shop or online boutique, based in Yorkshire, with community and/or sustainability at their heart as they deliver brilliant design and/or excellent customer experience and quality.

Force for Good Retail Team of the Year - Open to all fashion stores, from small independents to large retailers with multiple stores and Yorkshire-based online retailers. This is for teams who strive to engage with and make a difference to their community and environment. Is there a fashion store in Yorkshire that you love, where the staff always go that extra mile to make you look fabulous and feel confident?

Force for Good Emerging Designer of the Year - For students, graduates and emerging designers, based in Yorkshire, who have a strong focus on sustainability and/or inclusivity challenges. Who has impressed you with their innovative portfolio, collections and projects? Who is the One to Watch?

Force for Good Influencer of the Year - Which Yorkshire-based social media fashion icon do you admire most? Who wears it well, but also does so much more than that, highlighting issues of inclusivity, sustainability and ethics, championing others and striving always to use fashion as a force for good?

Force for Good Creative of the Year - For an individual or a team working in the fashion and style creative fields in Yorkshire including photography, videography, fashion styling and content creating. We are looking for creatives whose work is striking and diverse, underpinned by ethics and sustainability.

The closing date for the Fashion as a Force for Good award nominations is June 21, 2024, at 5pm. Nominate yourself or someone that inspires you now here

Tickets are available now at an early bird price of £85 each, or £800 for a table for 10. More details and tickets here

For more details, including about sponsoring an award - see sponsorship details here: contact: leedsfashionball@smartworks.org.uk