Hull fashionistas will show city's got style
The city centre Business Improvement District (Bid) is teaming up with shops across the city for a three-day festival of fashion.
Events will run from April 29 to May 1 and will include fashion shows, hair and beauty demonstrations and stylists helping to solve people's fashion conundrums.
There will also be a Unique Boutique Fashion Marquee in Queen Victoria Square on the Friday and Saturday.
This will showcase the best independent fashion retailers, such as Beasleys and Kimono My House, both based in Hepworth Arcade.
Florence Ravelle, the founder and owner of Kimono My House, which sells unique Japanese-inspired clothes and accessories, said: "I was asked to take part in the fashion week because they are looking for independent retailers who will stand out from the crowd.
"I'm going to get some models for the catwalk show in the Unique Boutique marquee.
"I think it's a really positive thing for the area. People will come from out of town and talk about it and it'll raise awareness of what Hull has to offer.
"People assume Hull is the same as any other city, but each city has something different."
The Hull Bid Fashion Week follows the success of last year's Looking Good Feeling Great event, which increased footfall in the city to 23,903.
It is hoped the fashion celebration will become an annual event.
The city's three major shopping centres are hosting events and major retailers such as Debenhams and House Of Fraser are also contributing.
St Stephen's will mark the launch of the three-day event with three catwalk shows and a stylist of the year competition involving final-year design students at Hull College.
Princes Quay is to host three catwalk shows and the Prospect Centre will host hair demonstrations by Mark Hill stylists and free No 7, Rimmel and Estee Lauder makeovers by teams from Boots.
Fashion Week is being co-ordinated by marketing company Sowden & Sowden, which oversaw last year's Looking Good Feeling Great event.
Polly Sowden, sales director of Sowden & Sowden, said: "We want to drive footfall to more than 25,000 over three days.
"We want to incorporate the independent shops to demonstrate the range on offer."
Links
Hull Bid
Sowden & Sowden
LOOKING GOOD: Florence Ravelle, left, of Kimono My House, and Bob Beasley, of Beasleys, with models Olivia O'Connor, Fionnuala Ravelle and Erika Mann. Picture: Kate Woolhouse
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