lies a land of ice and show, with ice queens and characters from faery stories…it’s real you know. You just have to believe..You know you want to believe ..
But without imagination – what do we have left??
My model for the day was the lovely Suzie Parsons and it is very hard to believe this was pretty much her first shoot. It is also a testament to both her and mines sanity that we both drove along icy country lanes and almost got stuck in a car park that was more akin to an ice rink in order to get these images. However we both agreed the risk was more than worth it!
On a bitterly cold February I was fortunate enough to spend a day with the lovely Jeanine who is an Argentinian fashion model who was visiting for a few days. I think the bitter cold was a surprise even though she was studying in Switzerland at the moment!!
This years Clothes Show Live ran from the 3rd to the 7th December and included the Dance Show 2011. Fashion and Dance have always seemed to be common partners through the ages and this years show showed that it was still true today.
The show hosted a number of celebrities ranging from Holly Oaks to Towie (The Only Way Is Essex) and designs from most of the major high street brands. Remember this is a show for the people rather than the High Couture of say London Fashion Week. That’s not to say the quality of items was in any way less, all the big names were represented and dotted around the stalls there was some amazingly talented designers. Amongst the College and University stands there was a small offering from recent graduates, which included one that particularly caught my eye and that was gunsmoke and lavender which I can easily see becoming a brand to be reckoned with.
The mainstage show, sponsored by Suzuki, is one of the largest catwalk shows I have ever witnessed, I am reluctant to call it a show as it is really a production, with different sets, themes and dance to illustrate the clothing being presented.
Kimberley Wyatt, who most will recognise from the Pussy Cat Dolls appeared with her new band ‘Her Majesty and the Wolves’ and I have to admit put on a great show and I did like her music. She also appeared very sweet at the earlier press call.
Celebrity Big Brother Finalist
Bride is again Martha Hussey, husband is wearing Trivedi
Clothes Show Live 2011 looks to continue building on the success of previous events. This year sees it partnering with the Dance Show and between them will have something to offer every Fashionista out there whether they are 6 or 60 plus!
The official website is a buzz with events and information and is well worth checking back on a regular basis as they keep adding more and more content. The recent shock departure of ‘The Risk’ from the X-factor has been to the Clothes Shows advantage and they will be playing on the Sunday.
When you are walking round it is worth keeping an eye on the crowd as quite often you can spot celebrities and stars wandering around meeting fans and taking in the unique atmosphere.
One of the most exciting things is the main stage catwalk show, here your senses are assaulted by the amazing clothes, the dance routines and accompanying music. How they manage to change clothes so quickly, dance and make it all look effortless is beyond me! I’ve seen a lot of shows and these have yet to be beaten – each year seems to better than the one before.
This year I was only able to attend on the Friday due to having a weekend planned in Dartmoor. However I was fortunate to be able to catch the two main Catwalk shows, Redefinition which was held in the Bull Ring and the Town Hall show
Clothing by Gap and Jack & Jones
These spectacular shows featured current designs available from the many retailers in the Bull Ring and around Birmingham City Centre. Allowing the audience to simply walk for 5 minutes or less to purchase the items they had just seen on the catwalk
Have had the pleasure of covering Clothes Show Live in Birmingham for the last few years (OK so it’s maybe more than a few now!) and it is the highlight of my fashion show year. The main arena show is breath-takingly well rehearsed and flawless in presentation. 2010 was the first time I have missed it but seeing as I was recovering from surgery it is allowable. My surgery was on first day (thank you NHS)!
This is a new company I recently worked with and this came about through a good friend of mine Jo Spurr asking for my help working with a new model Elizabeth Bishop. Canvas for Cliches have a website as well as a blog I look forward to seeing my images there soon. As with all things the client chose different pictures to the model who chose different images to me. However the client always retains priority on images chosen – whether the shoot is TF or paid.
