Nicky Hancock shines the spotlight on some of the exciting events planned for this year's Bath in Fashion festival
Nicky Hancock shines the spotlight on some of the exciting events planned for this year’s Bath in Fashion festival
Bath has always been a fashionable city and today has a lively retail scene with a refreshing mix of independent boutiques and top high street names. Bath in Fashion 2011 draws together the city’s fashion community to create a stunning week of catwalk shows, exhibitions and talks. This high-profile festival is taking place from 23-27 March.
Show highlights include designer labels from Bath’s independent boutiques, which will be paraded on the 2,000-year-old pavements at The Roman Baths; spring and summer collections at The Octagon in Milsom Place, formerly a Georgian Chapel, and urban fashions at Bath’s slick new shopping centre, SouthGate. A winning combination of top show producer John Walford, who orchestrated no less than 20 designer shows and London Fashion Week 2011 with stylist Rebekah Roy, will bring cutting-edge production to this year’s events.
Bath Spa University’s fashion design department has secured a two-day workshop by Julian Roberts at the Assembly Rooms. Julian Roberts, who has shown 13 collections at London Fashion Week, is not only a leading international designer but he is the inventor of a garment pattern-cutting method called “Subtraction Cutting”. He will demonstrate live followed by a hands-on workshop where participants will create their own dress.
Local fashion guru Iain R Webb will be in conversation with Rosemary Harden, Manager of the Fashion Museum. ‘Candid Catwalk’ provides insights gleaned from Iain’s illustrious years in the industry, with observations from a front row seat of top designer collections. Textile artist Karen Nicol is sharing her expertise in a talk at Bath’s cool new venue, the Loft, on Bartlett Street. She is currently ‘Designer in Residence’ at Bath Spa University and has worked for a string of impressive names from Chanel to The Pope and from Matthew Williamson to The King of Qatar.
Designer labels from Bath’s independent boutiques paraded on 200-year-old pavements at the Roman Baths
Headline sponsor this year is Bath’s brand new fashion store, Banana Republic, which has just opened on Union Street in the centre of the city. Delivering elevated design at approachable prices, Banana Republic presents a range of great working wardrobe solutions to create an uncomplicated style that works from day to night.
Bath in Fashion is supported by one of the world’s best collections of contemporary and historic fashion at the Fashion Museum. The museum is planning a blockbuster exhibition called ‘What will She Wear; The Enduring Romance of the Wedding Dress?’ including 20 wedding dresses from the museum’s collection. Vintage is in vogue in the spa city and a Vintage Fashion and Textile Fair on 27 March is to be staged in the Assembly Rooms. No 1 Royal Crescent will be reminding us all just how glamorous the Georgians looked, and the American Museum in Britain will be showcasing Hollywood glamour with its ‘Marilyn – Hollywood Icon’ exhibition as part of their fiftieth birthday celebrations.
Bath was the Georgian’s favourite city for fashionable society to shop and socialise, and today continues to be a fashionable place to shop, work and live. This is the first event supported by the Bath Business Improvement District (BID) in conjunction with Bath & North East Somerset Council. Milsom Street was voted the UK’s most fashionable street in the Google Street Awards 2010.
Bath’s hottest restaurant, Hall & Woodhouse, will start the week with a Top to Bottom lunch and fashion show. Hannah Dulcie does the top half (designer lingerie boutique from Milsom Place) and Mimi Noor works magic on the bottom half (designer jeans boutique on Milsom Street). This lunch could change your shape, and fashion your life! Store windows will literally come to life with live mannequins throughout the city on Saturday 26 March and there will be extra events in stores all week.
For times and dates of events visit www.bathinfashion.co.uk or call 0844 8475256.
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
23 March: Hall & Woodhouse Lunch; Spring/summer fashion show; Candid Catwalk
24 March: 24-7 Stitch Karen Nicol Talk; Fashion ‘n’ Fizz by the Roman Baths
25th March: Urban Style fashion show; Bath’s Big Swish for MacMillan
26 March: Subtraction Cutting Masterclass
27 March: Subtraction Cutting Demo www.bathinfashion.co.uk
2 FOR 1 READER OFFER
Somerset Life readers can get two tickets for the price of one at the Octagon Fashion Shows at Milsom Place on Wednesday 23 March at 2pm and 7.30pm. The �10 ticket price includes a stunning show of spring and summer fashion, a glass of wine and a goodie bag.
Turn to page 121 in your copy of Somerset Life magazine for further information
