Forest Hill Fashion Week showcases local talent in a festival of fashion, design and craft. It is a family-friendly, inclusive, community festival with something to offer for people of all ages; and celebrates South East London’s wonderful creative buzz. Founded in 2013 by South East London local Louise Brooks, this traditionally bi-annual event builds on the momentum created by the SEE3 Portas Pilot investment to regenerate local high streets in the area.
Featuring established and up-and-coming designers, the fashion week is organised by a group of volunteers with local shops, cafés, bars, other venues and community interest groups all joining forces to fund and host an exciting line-up of fashion-themed events — illustrating Forest Hill’s community spirit, creativity, love of sharing and commitment to high street regeneration.
The 2015 theme is
‘Creativity, Community and Culture’ — three things that definitely make Forest Hill such a vibrant and unique part of London. This year’s FHFW will focus on the community cohesion that exists in Forest Hill. There are several themed events planned for the week to involve the whole community. The catwalk event will close with a very special show from ‘Pavement to Catwalk’, an inspiring organisation dedicated to involving people with mental health problems, addiction issues and disabilities in creative projects using fashion and design. The Pavement2catwalk section of the show will focus on homelessness, addiction disability, mental health and also the elderly.
FHFW 2015 is coordinated by Pauline Wright, who runs Forest Hill’s iconic Sugar Mountain sweet and ice cream shop; Donald Waugh, a noted actor, singer/dancer who founded the social enterprise Pavement2catwalk; and Emma Drysdale, who runs locally-based Gems Performing Arts, offering classes in dance, acting and signing for ages 3-16.
Pauline told us that, initially, only £1,500 in funding was available from SEE3 to put the event together.
“I knew there wouldn’t be much funding when I decided to take the event on, but I could never have made it possible without my friends Donald and Emma, and my customers getting behind me to make FHFW possible this year. Many of my local customers are lending equipment and another customer is printing flyers — advertising the events — for free. Just by chatting to my customers, many offered to help — which shows amazing community spirit in Forest Hill.”
FOREST HILL FASHION WEEK EVENTS• Thu 24th, 3pm: Pavement2catwalk workshop
• Fri 25th, 4.30pm: Kids’ fashionable face painting workshop
• Fri 25th, 4.30pm: Kids’ fashion cupcake decorating workshop
• Fri 25th, 6.30pm: Youth performance workshop
• Fri 25th, 8pm: Drop Dead Gorgeous salsa night
• Sat 26th, 12pm: Kids’ balloon modeling workshop
• Sat 26th, 12pm: Crepe Records catwalk warm-up show
• Sat 26th, 2pm: Main catwalk show
• Sat 26th, 8pm: Catwalk after party
• Sun 27th, 2.30pm: Mad Hatters Tea Party. Look out for a flashmob!
• Sun 27th, 4.30pm: Kids’ catwalk show
Up-to-date details of all events, including ‘Warm up’ events between 19th-20th September, can be found at
fhfw.co.uk
