Hull BID

11.03.2010

The end of April will see the city centre given a dramatic fashion make over as Hull BID’s first ever Fashion Week takes place with a wide variety of competitions, catwalks, fashion shows, beauty makeovers and product launches.

The centrepiece of the 3 day event from 30^th April to 1^st May will be the Unique Boutique in Queen Victoria Square which will see independent retailers in the city given the opportunity to showcase their outfits via a professionally staged fashion show catwalk. Acting as a hub for the whole event, it will also promote other events happening in the city centre. Polly Sowden, Sales Director of Sowden and Sowden, who is helping to organise the event on behalf of Hull BID, said local shops had been very positive in their response so far.

She commented: “We’ve asked each retailer to provide two outfits for the show and these will then be showcased by models over the Friday and Saturday of the Fashion Week. It’s a great chance for businesses in the BID area to get involved in the event and to promote their products to a much wider audience.”

All three main shopping centres and some of the city’s major department stores have also agreed to take part. St Stephen’s will be looking to promote the opening of the CULT store in early May with a series of fashion related events leading up to Fashion Week, such as hosting the Stylist of the Year competition.

Meanwhile Prospect Shopping Centre will be looking to build on the success of last year’s Looking Good, Feeling Great event, by concentrating again on a beauty and makeover theme. Hair stylists Mark Hill and Boots will be offering mini makeovers and photo opportunities in the Centre free of charge for the public.

Saturday 1^st May will see the fashion focus turned over to Princes Quay who will be using their atrium space and escalators for 3 themed fashion shows. As with the Unique Boutique, retailers in the Quay have been asked to contribute outfits for the shows.

House of Fraser, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer and BHS are all expected to play a part in the Week and Debenhams will be hosting its Capsule Wardrobe sessions over the 3 days of the event, with £150 on offer for the lucky winner each day. Concessions in the shop will be doing live makeovers in full public view via the window spaces of the store.

Events look set to be given an eye opening start as the ‘flash walk’ takes to the streets of the centre on Saturday 17^th April to raise awareness of the main event. Male and female models wearing matching macs, striking make up and hairstyling will be ‘revealing’ themselves to unsuspecting shoppers in the central area! (subject to confirmation).

Polly said that the event had something for everyone and was likely to raise the image and profile of Hull.

“After the highly successful ‘Looking Good, Feeling Great’ event last year, which we organised, saw an extra 24,903 extra visitors to Hull city centre. This year we are organising an event, which we hope will be even bigger and better and full of razzzamataz!"

Hull BID Operations Manager Kathryn Shillito said that she was working closely with Polly Sowden and the businesses in the city centre to help draw additional footfall to make the event a success.

“There’s a lot of work to do to make all our ideas come off, but the initial response from businesses in the city centre has been fantastic and I’m sure that come the end of April, we’ll be able to put on a really great fashion and beauty event,” she commented.

For more details, contact Kathryn Shillito at Hull BID on 01482 611889 / Kathryn@hullbid.co.uk or Polly Sowden on 01482 649311 / polly@sowden-sowden.co.uk

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