UK’s first Sustainable Fashion Week announces catwalk show in Bristol this September

The UK’s first and only Sustainable Fashion Week will debut its brand-new catwalk show on Wednesday 21 September in Bristol.

Models will strut their stuff in upcycled, vintage and sustainable clothing with the ethereal venue of The Mount Without providing the perfect backdrop to explore creative clothing and switching up attitudes towards buying new.

The catwalk show will unite the week’s four driving themes, Regenerate, Rewear, Repurpose and Reconnect, which will encourage attendees to look at their wardrobes in a new light to end the fast-fashion cycle.

Sustainable Fashion Week’s four community partners will be bringing each of the themes to life. This includes Bristol-based Wear My Wardrobe Out, which offers rental outfits for every occasion and Black2Nature who foster environmentally-focused conversations with ethnically diverse communities. They will be joined by Future Leap, working in partnership with popular clothing brand Lucy & Yak. Lead partners, the City of Bristol College, will be representing the Reconnect theme, and will get the models catwalk-ready using benecos’ ethical makeup products.

Drag artist Astro Zenica will bring their glamour and theatrical flair to the catwalk as the show’s lead host, enthralling visitors with a performance which is absurd, heartfelt and hilarious all at once. Bedminster-based sponsor, KASK Wine, will also provide a variety of vegan, organically-sourced welcome drinks for the event.

Sustainable Fashion Week starts on Friday 16th September, welcoming clothes swaps, panel talks, workshops, film screenings, augmented reality experiences and photo exhibitions. Taking place in locations across Bristol and online, the community-led events are accessible for all to join.

Bristol students can expect a wardrobe upgrade with a Re-fresher Your Style sustainable student shopping day, taking place on Park Street and Queens Road in the city centre on Thursday 22 September thanks to Bristol City Centre BID. By compiling the best sustainable shopping offers, students can discover their new hometown, slow down their shopping and take a more sustainable approach to fashion.

This event will be followed by a panel discussion and live styling from industry experts in the evening at 6:30pm at The Vintage Thrift Store. Sustainable fashion gurus will be discussing the Gen-Z slow fashion movement, alongside live styling featuring Meg Cox from the ladies clothing hire spot, Clothemod.

Local Bristol businesses will be sharing their love for eco-friendly fashion throughout the week too, including Loot Vintage, Sobey’s Limited and Oxfam, by offering a range of uniquely sourced, secondhand clothing to prove that pre-loved fashion is always in style.

A wider discussion to raise environmental awareness will be led by Bristol businesses such as Wagamama, Ryman and Audio Excellence, promoting sustainability through recyclable cutlery, stationery and tech, and implementing a bring your own container scheme.

Join an intimate two course meal at The Scrandit on Christmas Steps, paired with acoustic live music and a clothes swap on Wednesday 21 September. Head to an all-genders inclusive ‘Swap and Shop’ event on Thursday 22 September at the Folk House Cafe. Attendees can also get involved in a ‘Gorgeous Refresh’ garment alteration workshop in Stapleton on Saturday 24 September, which will see their wardrobes transformed into good-as-new outfits.

Amelia Twine, Founder of Sustainable Fashion Week, said: “We are launching our first ever UK catwalk for Sustainable Fashion Week in Bristol this year. By showcasing how pre-loved and sustainable fashion can be worn again and again in a variety of different ways, we hope to inspire visitors to look at what they already have in their wardrobes and get creative!

“Just by switching up your perspective on what you already have, or swapping for something “new”, you’re already disrupting the fast-fashion cycle.”

Lucy Greenwood, co-founder of Lucy & Yak, said: “SFW is the first fashion week of its kind, and we couldn’t be happier to be involved with the event. Collaboration is key to tackling the issues within the fashion industry, and focusing on themes like repurposing and rewearing are exactly what we as a brand are trying to do as well.

“The chance to share the progress we’ve made while also being inspired by a community of like minded brands, students, makers and designers was a no brainer!”

Mya-Rose “Birdgirl” Craig, Founder of Black2Nature, said: “Sustainable fashion is an important part of how we reduce the impact of climate change. Fast fashion items of clothing are taken from designs on the catwalk and meant to last one season or even just weeks. We need to find better ways of re-wearing and re-using.”

Tickets are on sale now for Sustainable Fashion Week’s first catwalk taking place on Wednesday 21st September here.

For further information, please visit the Sustainable Fashion Week website, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.