POPUP, CATWALK SHOWS 
& 
BRITAIN’S TOP 
DESIGNER AWARD
 2016

Fashions Finest held residence over two days at the Grand Connaught Rooms in 61-65 Great Queen Street, Holborn, London. QVC fashion expert and TV & Radio presenter Laura Naylor hosted the acclaimed Britain’s Top Designer Awards on the night.

Fashions Finest London Fashion Week Showcase is in its sixth year. It supports emerging and established designers from around the world through offering a viable alternative to the on-schedule shows.

The Britain’s Top Designer Award is in its fourth season (four years) and is designed to nurture and support British talent via a judging process in which the judges constructively lend their expertise and feedback in order to assist the growth of the competitors. It is a fierce competition. The award is worth prestige it brings.
 

In the audience were: front row were singer Charley Monroe (X-factor), Actress Kelly Adams – (Holby City), Miss Great Britain Zara Holland, Princes Trust Ambassador Lewis-Duncan Weedon, who showed their support to Britain’s emerging design talent.

At 8PM, the head judge, celebrity stylist Bernard Connolly,  was joined by Princes Trust Ambassador and celebrity stylist Lewis-Duncan Weedon, presenter and stylist Lola Royle, and fashion expert and publicist Melanie Jones from the eponymous Melanie Jones PR agency.

Designer Helen Woollams of Hellavagirl received the Britain’s Top Designer Award and won judges over with an unconventional, innovative and opulent collection inspired by Hitchcock’s Birds for her visionary collection. 

Coming second was luxury couture brand by Daniel Chu whom wooed judges and guests with a beautiful collection finished to an exquisite standard and is deemed as ‘the one to watch’.

Also graced on the runways were the likes of: Little Hill People, a boho fashion brand inspired by the exotic tribesmen of Northeast India with sustainable fashion and social responsibility at its core. Deda Designs which was a fusion of traditional motifs with contemporary interpretation. And last but not least, Haüs of Rå who specializes in custom-made avant-garde womenswear.

View some of  Haüs of Rå runway looks:

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The show continued with ready-to-wear brand by Kited Fashion whom featured their collection of evening wear. As well, a longstanding favourite, Made of Carpet showed off their latest collections of backpacks and totes made, of course, of carpet.

It is exciting to say,  Fashions Finest attracted a broad range of buyers, press, and VIP’s. The British Jewelry Award-winning brand, Pautinka London, displayed an infinite variety of show stopping pieces. United States based celebrity jewelry brand, Marianna Harutunian (has been worn by Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Paris Hilton, Nicky Minaj, and much more) combined forces with Denmark’s own Metamorph Quirky Couture which created a stir among the Fashions Finest Pop Up exhibitors.

Tanaya Couture seduced visitors with their luxury selection of jewelry and shawls. London based and British produced luxury brand, Duchess London, showed off their minimalistic but flatteringly feminine silhouettes. Popular accessories brand, Stella & Dot, dazzled us with their selections of designs and Shawndell’s Style Clinic offered styling services on the spot.

Fashions Finest Beauty Lounge allowed a list of sponsors to provide on the spot services and product samples– free beauty treatments that were a hit with the guests via Venus Concept, which was sponsored by The Tanning Shop. Natural and organic skin care line L’Avyanna introduced their products to visitors. Fanta Lashes offered lash extensions. Little Ondine not only looked after the nails of the models and the crew but also that of the visitors. How exciting, right?!

The 3pm catwalk showcase:

  • Linda Blisset London (UK) which designs oozed of Celtic influences with floor-length draped dresses.
  • Valennci (Ireland) featured beautiful couture pieces, surprising with the occasional tongue in cheek design.
  • Gia Viviana – (Miami /New York) showed a sophisticated yet edgy collection of almost all black wearable evening-wear with colourful accents strategically placed in the line. 

    View some of Gia Viviana Runway looks:

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    Fashions Finest thanks its sponsors and media partners: AOFM, Grow, Venus Legacy, The Tanning Shop, VitaCoco, Wheyhey – The Protein Ice Cream, NØthing But, Yu!, Itsu, iDelick Media, and Egytian Magic.