Words by Sasha Holt / Pics courtesy of NEC Group
Well hello fashionistas, its Sasha – your style guide through the fashion wilderness. And here we go, taking the next step on that yellow brick road towards the metaphorical Oz that is The Clothes Show Live ’15.
One of the things I’m most excited to experience at this year’s event is the Vintage area. With exhibitors such as Minimum Mouse and All about Aud, creating exciting new pieces by recycling and upcycling (as well as helping lovingly pre owned Vintage pieces find new homes) it’s an ethos very close to my heart.
In today’s fast, disposable fashion world there are so many cheap clothing options that few people appear to buy with an eye for longevity or quality. Rather it’s more attractive to buy a piece of designer homage in a ‘fashion’ megastore and when it loses shape, or goes out of style, to simply bin it or sell it for its weight.
Now I’m not purporting to be a moral compass on this area; I too have ventured into the sartorial pit even Dante would recognise. I have pieces in my wardrobe that cost less than a sandwich, but it does twinge my conscience to think of the amount of money that is thrown away in the name of fashion.
In fact, if we look at the numbers it might make even the most hardened shopper feel a little queasy. The BBC reported earlier this year that in the U.K over £44bn is spent annually on clothes, 30% in the average wardrobe has been unworn for a year, and probably the most staggering of all a massive £140m of clothes go into landfill every year.
I would hope that The Clothes Show Live would follow in the footsteps of events such as Charity Fashion Live, to help re-educate its customers. Charity Fashion Live, this September, was an exciting opportunity for London Fashion Week to work with Oxfam, and introduce the idea of wearing second hand clothing and textiles to a new audience. They also created a viable platform to discuss sustainability, the environment and throwaway fashion.
I’m not saying The Clothes Show Live needs to become a glorified charity shop or Vintage fair, and I understand the importance of events such as these in supporting the fashion industry.
But I applaud the inclusion of the Vintage area at The Clothes Show Live in possibly re-educating its visitors to the benefits of clothes that are pre owned and second hand. It’s definitely a step in the right direction towards a fashion catwalk with a more of a conscience.
The Clothes Show Live ’15 comes to the NEC Birmingham from 4th – 8th December. For full programme details visit http://www.clothesshow.com/
Tickets for The Clothes Show Live ’15 are on sale now, available through Ticket Factory. For online tickets sales & info, visit https://www.theticketfactory.com/cslb/online/
For more from the Ticket Factory, visit https://www.theticketfactory.com/