Our London Fashion Week Highlights
This season, for the first time since our launch in September 2009, we decided not to produce a high-profile industry campaign during fashion week. The reason for this is that we have been focusing all of our attention on the educational side of our work, helping to shape the mindset of future industry players - designers, writers, image makers - towards emotionally considerate practice. To this end, All Walk's founders Caryn and Debra will continue to tour the country, speaking to students at university level about the All Walks way.However, the spirit of All Walks has continued to have a presence on the catwalks during fashion month, and I would like to share these highlights with you. At All Walks, we love to see the people we work with doing really well, and this London Fashion Week has certainly made us proud.
You may have read in a prevous post, written by our Editor Charlotte Gush, about one of the original All Walks pairings, of designer Alexandra Groover and model Lucy Freeman, reuniting this season to make a film together for London Fashion Week.
I was also pleasantly surprised when I received an email containing the images below, of William Tempest's All Walks model Laura Catterall walking in the Elena Miro show in Milan, where she is channelling the perfect Mad Men silhouette with her femme fatal curves:
Coming back to the UK from Milan, spreading the spirit of our campaign at London Fashion Week was All Walks model Valerie Pain, who walked for Fyodor Golan, this year's winner of Fashion Fringe. Pain, the amazingly stunning 70-year-old model, told me that when she attended the casting, she walked in and, on sight of the samples, announced to the casting agent, "I'm not going to waste your time, they won't fit me."
However, the designers were so impressed by her that they redesigned an outfit and fitted it to Valerie's own body shape so that they could have her walk in their show. And just look how confidently she walks and how beautiful she looks in her show-stopping outfit in the short film, below:
To watch more, visit the Fashion Fringe section of the LFW website.
Until next time, I would like to leave you with this thought:
Whatever shape you are, whatever age you are, the women in this post show that being unique is the most beautiful trend to have emerged from fashion week, and I hope you can use this inspiration to embrace your individuality with pride.
Images courtesy of 12+ UK Model Management
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Post by Michael Williamson
Michael is a designer, stylist, blogger and an integral member of the All Walks team, having been with us from the very beginning. Check out his blog, Safety-Pin Charm, to keep your finger on the pulse of all things fashion - especially london based. Follow Michael on You Tube and on Twitter @mwfrost
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Editor Charlotte Gush, on Twitter @CavaCharlotte
Inspiring Calico: follow its journey from the fabric market to Erin O’Connor
Never has one piece of calico taken on so many meanings!Initially the All Walks team had the idea of calico as being the blank canvas from which young and established creatives start their work. In essence this is the first piece of cloth that will take mold to the body.
Having an unconscious relationship between the designer and the dummy, to when the toile is made and it is time for fittings on a fit-model, making any adjustments needed before the final garment is made. In effect this makes a relationship between the designer and the model very important as this will be the stage when a fitting takes places and comfort may be achieved, or not. It is also a way for the designer to express themselvess without the waste of expensive fabric if the idea fails in reality.
A very good teaching tool for every level of designer.
Above: Caryn Franklin has taken one piece of calico to universities around the country, giving seminars on diversity to fashion students and allowing them to respond by writing their feelings and opinions on the calico.
After this series of seminars, All Walks used the calico at our big event, 'SNAPPED' at the National Portrait Gallery. The calico was draped on an historical vintage tailor's dummy and displayed for one night only. Turning a collaboration between many into a form of art expressing young creatives views on diversity in a celebratory way.
Carefully looking at the drape of the fabric and being careful not to slash or cut in any way, we then recycled the calico in a whole new way, as All Walks loaned the calico to co-founder Erin O'Connor for the Model Sanctuary. Erin has now inspired models to be creative and do their own home furnishings commenting on how much they loved what she has done below....
Turning the Piece into a sofa throw! We all love this here at All Walks - how the calico has gone from inspiring designers, to taking the weight off tired model's feet and allowing them to rest in a blanket of love from All Walks and the Sanctuary coming together as sisters.
Celebrating models, designers and creatives coming together for diversity!
From a piece of calico to the National Portrait Gallery to Erin's Model Sanctuary - what will happen to this calico next?
Follow the story - only on the All Walks blog!
Post and images by M.W
All Walks Beyond the Catwalk rock the Gallery! Some of our highlights…
When the National Portrait Gallery granted us just one photographer access to capture the entire nights happenings singlehanded, we knew this was a job for superwoman snapper Annabel Staff. We give her our huge thanks. Annabel you're a star. Photograph by Annabel Staff All Walks Model Katie in Giles Deacon, from the S/S '11 Campaign with All Walks Co Founder Erin O'Connor. Photograph by Annabel Staff All Walks portrait by Rankin of model Daphne Selfe, over 80 years old, wearing S/S'11 Vivienne Westwood at National Portrait Gallery, positioned by the Ditchley portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. Photograph by Annabel Staff All Walks portrait by Rankin of model Valerie Pain, who wears S/S '11 Antonio Berardi. Photograph by Annabel Staff All Walks Beyond the Catwalk portrait of model Sheila, aged 18, in S/S'11 Stella McCartney, by Rankin, is positioned by painting of Lady Colin Campbell at National Portrait Gallery. Photograph by Annabel Staff All Walks portrait of model Kirsty by Rankin, wearing S/S'11 Alice Temperly, positioned by painting of 1940's portrait of Dame Anna Eagle, as part of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk event at the National Portrait Gallery on Friday. Photograph by Annabel Staff Words by All Walks co-founder Debra Bourne Pictures All by Annabel Staff Post by M.Wthe cats out the bag, Vivienne Westwood what is she up to now with All Walks?
Yesterday Co-Founder Caryn Franklin made a visit to All Walks supporter and Designer ' -Vivienne Westwood who recently particpated in Snapped' Project by Rankin.
showing Co- Founder Caryn interviewing the designer who has been 'Snapped here herself'
for a piece we are working currently on for the National Portrait Gallery
event that will be hosted in February next year
which more information will come up here exclusively on allwalks.org on the event
so stay tuned
and find out what exactly Vivienne and Caryn have been working on and how you can
be part of the event too!
report by M.W
TO LEE, WITH LOVE,NICK AT THE …
At All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, The British Fashion Awards is causing great enthusiasum with the Team which is taking place this evening and making it even more exciting is Launch Photographer at Somerset House, and Director of ShowStudio Nick Knight, who gave Co-Founder Erin O'Connor a lession in Photography. And produced the image together for 'SIZE ME UP!' Plays tribute to Alexander McQueen's Carrier and Creations through a Fashion film Tribute titled 'To Lee, With Love, Nick', will be showcased at the British Fashion Awards and online at SHOWstudio.com REPORT by M.WAll Walks Beyond the Catwalk” guides Fashion Students of the Future
“All Walks Beyond the Catwalk” guides Fashion Students of the Future Caryn Franklin, one of the co-founders of “All Walks Beyond the Catwalk”, gave a truly inspirational talk to the Fashion students of Southampton Solent University today. One of the most important points of the talk was to change our views, as the next generation of designers, journalists, and photographers, on the way fashion and models are perceived. We were made aware of how the current fashion industry could be having a damaging effect on men and women of all ages, both mentally and physically. Caryn commented on the fact that current models on the catwalk are a “dysfunctional representation of womanhood.” As she was a previous editor of i-D Magazine and has been involved with Clothes Show Live for 22 years now, Caryn has seen the ways in which fashion is portrayed to the masses first hand. All Walks want to bring back individuality and to give the public - no matter what age, gender, shape, size or colour they are - some faith in themselves and prove that one size doesn’t fit all and it shouldn’t have to. Currently more than half of women have a distorted image of what their bodies look like. Caryn was keen to get feedback from students on the issues highlighted by ‘All Walks’ and all students were encouraged to write a message on a large piece of calico, which will be made into a garment for display at their Forthcoming national Portrait Gallery event The Press launch for the 2011 Campaign will be in January but their main impact will be made by the spring/summer 2011 campaign and will hopefully change people’s views of what they are presented with at London Fashion Week By Kirsty Geddes, Writing Fashion & Culture, 1st Year, Southampton SolentPeople are talking about :
At all walks we are always happy to help and promote education,
recently a Student who interviewed Co-Founder Debra Bourne on All Walks Beyond the Catwalk,
sent us back her piece.
which we have posted for all you readers out there...
To all you students we are now aiming to do more features on Education.
People are talking about
“In terms of diversity having witnessed, against all odds, a man of colour take
residency in the aptly called White House, my hope is – Yes, We CAN.”
Debra Bourne, Co. Founder, All Walks Beyond The Catwalk
Teen Vogue loves powerful women and this statement fills us with hope. So what
is All Walks Beyond The Catwalk?
Originally Beat (The national charity for eating disorders), asked the British
Fashion Council to create a fashion event about inspiring bodies. The idea
was not accepted but Caryn Franklin (fashion expert and TV presenter), Debra
Bourne and Erin O’Connor decided they could start up something similar: “a high
level industry standard concept.”
The message behind All Walks Beyond The Catwalk is that all shapes, sizes
and colour are beautiful. They would like more diversity on the catwalk and are
creating imagery that reflects these values.
Firstly, there was the i-D shoot and then a launch party at the September ’09
London Fashion Week at Somerset House.
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk knows that the “perfect body” promoted by the
fashion industry is not realistic: only two percent of the population can be a
supermodel: we are all not 5”10 and a size six.
“Beauty is not a reflection of a perfect set of statistics”
Debra says: “Within the industry we are noticing people’s attitudes are changing.
More curvy models are walking the runways and in magazine spreads. However
the fashion industry does like a trend. At All Walks Beyond The Catwalk our work
is committed to longevity beyond Trend Curve.”
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk gave their eight designers the opportunity to
make a difference with their work. They were asked to consider the model’s own
body before creating a piece.
They produced brochures, which were sent to every editor visiting London
Fashion Week.
The web site has testimonials from designers and models, expressing the need
for change.
Debra says: “We have witnessed designers like William Tempest, integrating the
idea of diversity through model castings for the February 2010 catwalk shows.
As well as Mark Fast, the designer we introduced to Hayley Morley, who is also
continuing to work with models like Crystal Renn.
“We want to simply expand on what is on offer. Something as simple as showing
models that represent a more realistic mirror to the women on the street in top
end designer clothing. Not such a big deal.”
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk simply asks those of us in positions of power, can
we change anything? Should we be listening to these statistics? (The increase
in numbers of people suffering from eating disorders and other mental health
issues.) Could we contribute positively to this matter? And creatively how might a
return to acknowledging a more individual approach benefit?
People are talking about
“In terms of diversity having witnessed, against all odds, a man of colour takeresidency in the aptly called White House, my hope is – Yes, We CAN.”
Debra Bourne, Co. Founder, All Walks Beyond The Catwalk
Teen Vogue loves powerful women and this statement fills us with hope. So whatis All Walks Beyond The Catwalk?
Originally Beat (The national charity for eating disorders), asked the BritishFashion Council to create a fashion event about inspiring bodies. The ideawas not accepted but Caryn Franklin (fashion expert and TV presenter), DebraBourne and Erin O’Connor decided they could start up something similar: “a highlevel industry standard concept.”
The message behind All Walks Beyond The Catwalk is that all shapes, sizesand colour are beautiful. They would like more diversity on the catwalk and arecreating imagery that reflects these values.
Firstly, there was the i-D shoot and then a launch party at the September ’09London Fashion Week at Somerset House.
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk knows that the “perfect body” promoted by thefashion industry is not realistic: only two percent of the population can be asupermodel: we are all not 5”10 and a size six.
“Beauty is not a reflection of a perfect set of statistics”
Debra says: “Within the industry we are noticing people’s attitudes are changing.More curvy models are walking the runways and in magazine spreads. Howeverthe fashion industry does like a trend. At All Walks Beyond The Catwalk our workis committed to longevity beyond Trend Curve.”
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk gave their eight designers the opportunity tomake a difference with their work. They were asked to consider the model’s ownbody before creating a piece.
They produced brochures, which were sent to every editor visiting LondonFashion Week.
The web site has testimonials from designers and models, expressing the needfor change.
Debra says: “We have witnessed designers like William Tempest, integrating theidea of diversity through model castings for the February 2010 catwalk shows.As well as Mark Fast, the designer we introduced to Hayley Morley, who is alsocontinuing to work with models like Crystal Renn.
“We want to simply expand on what is on offer. Something as simple as showingmodels that represent a more realistic mirror to the women on the street in topend designer clothing. Not such a big deal.”
All Walks Beyond The Catwalk simply asks those of us in positions of power, canwe change anything? Should we be listening to these statistics? (The increasein numbers of people suffering from eating disorders and other mental healthissues.) Could we contribute positively to this matter? And creatively how might areturn to acknowledging a more individual approach benefit?
interview Co- Founder of
'All Walks Beyond the Catwalk'
Debra Bourne
Written piece by
magazine journalism at sunderland university
Rachel Lauren Cowey