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Epigram Style reports from the S/S edition of Bristol Fashion Week, held at Cribbs Causeway.

As we took the number 2 bus to Cribbs Causeway, a long journey complicated by travel sickness, lack of empty seats, traffic and numerous downpours, we were hoping for a good night. Despite the troublesome journey, we were excited as had thoroughly enjoyed the A/W show back in September.

Cribbs Causeway is well worth a visit if you ever have half a day free. It consists 130 shops and a great food court and you can get there on the 1, 2, 3 or 4 bus for a £3 student return ticket.

The events of the night were scheduled to take place in a colossal marquee just outside the food court. After the queuing, again in rain, we were greeted by the lovely people at M&S who provided a selection of snacks and soft drinks in an area called ‘Club Tropicana’. We then took our seats in front of the catwalk waiting for the hosts to take to the stage, the fashion designer Henry Holland and Television stylist Mark Heyes.

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The theme of the show was music and the hosts spoke extensively of the ways music and fashion mutually inspire each other. Whoever picked the music did a great job and we find ourselves singing and bopping along with the energetic models.

The show consisted of different sections where particular trend was paired with a musical theme. The first consisted of athleisure, which has arguably gone beyond a mere trend and become a way of life, especially at Bristol. The models were the reverse of the traditional fashion week models and the show consisted of a mixture of the traditional catwalk format and dancing. Both womenswear and menswear were showcased and it was refreshing to see a variety of body types, skin colours and ages on the catwalk.

A highlight was the print section which featured 1950s music and amazing high waist gingham swimsuits, giving off major Americana vibes. Perhaps the weakest section was the experimental section which featured band T-shirts from HMV. Questionably, the models wore skirts over jeans and music by The Killers featured which didn’t really feel right in a fashion setting. However, the majority of the clothing featured was accessible to students with stores such as New Look, Topshop and River Island taking part. However, the show does cater for a variety of ages, so brands such as Radley London, Clarks Next and Crew Clothing also feature, perhaps being less relevant to students.

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The show was peppered with anecdotes from the enigmatic hosts. Holland used the minimalist section as an opportunity to speak of his meeting with Kanye West and the Yeezy collection. It was also great to hear insights into his job in the fashion world, talking us through some of his creative decisions with his collections and shows. The banter felt less forced than it did at the September show and you could see a real friendship had developed between the two as they spoke of trips to various Bristolian cinemas and restaurants.

We received a goody bag at the end of the show, a great incentive to attend. It contained items such as lip stick, popcorn, sun cream and shampoo, alongside many others.

The show is a great way for anyone interested in fashion to indulge in this often exclusive world. Tickets started from £8.95 for a standard ticket, £9.95 for a second-row ticket and £13.95 for a front row ticket. Look out for the next event, most likely to be the A/W show in September.

Overall, the evening was enjoyable and worth the bus journey, even if we were dreading the journey back to Clifton.


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