Friday 16 October brought fashion and glamour to the CBSO Centre, Birmingham with the seventh consecutive Midlands Fashion Awards; celebrating the wealth of fashion design creative across Birmingham and the Midlands. An impressive catwalk show hosted by TV presenters Adele Roche and Chiara Glorioso, followed by a glittering awards ceremony and a special performance from Britain Got Talent stars, The Neales, ensured MFA 2015 was the biggest and best so far.
Category finalists showcased their collections on the catwalk to an audience of the Midlands’ fashion finest alongside an expert panel of judges including Jenny Eason, Creative Director & Founder of Midlands Fashion Awards; Holly Ryland-Jones, Resorts World Birmingham; Luke Roper, Creative Director at Luke 1977; Lisa Shepherd, Managing Director at Lisa Shepherd Salons; Andrew Riley, Editor in Chief at Style Birmingham Magazine; and renowned make-up artist Jules Cardozo-Marsh.
The standard of talent this year was set higher than ever with each individual designer showcasing their collection on the catwalk before the winners were revealed. Maurice Whittingham was crowned Independent Designer of the Year; his winning collection influenced by the culture and architecture of Spanish city, Barcelona. Georgia Richardson’s futuristic warrior inspired pieces were a hit with the judges, earning her the title of Young Designer of the Year. Wrapping up the design category winners was Sarah Woodward, who received Emerging Designer of the Year for her vibrant asymmetrical compilations. All of the design category of these winners will be featured in an exclusive Style Birmingham shoot, propelling their fantastic collections into the spotlight. Other award winners on the night included Rachel Warrilow at Spirit of Harlequin taking home Best Accessory Designer of the Year and Gabrielle Hunt winning Best Make Up Artist of the Year, earning herself a year of one-to-one mentoring from professional make-up artist and MFA judge, Jules Cardozo-Marsh as part of her prize.
Jenny Eason, Founder and Managing Director of the Midlands Fashion Awards said:
“I’m truly amazed at the creativity and talent that was showcased at MFA 2015. This year marks our seventh consecutive awards ceremony. There is really no other opportunity in the Midlands for young designers to show their collections, that is why we are so proud that we have been able to provide a platform for them to flaunt their work. With previous participants taking their work everywhere from Fashion Week to the Oscars, we look forward to watching this year’s stars as they embark on their next journey in the fashion industry.”
This year’s Midlands Fashion Awards also supported local charity LoveBrum, the movement working towards a better Birmingham. A charity auction was held on the night, which saw the auction of prizes including a full colour makeover worth £400, at Lisa Shepherd Salon Birmingham, a SHAVE Kit courtesy of Gruhme, and two box seats at a Blues game.
A full list of award winners and runners up can be found at www.midlandsfashionawards.co.uk as well as details about their winning collections.