Surrey Fashion Week co-founder and celebrity journalist Angela Sara West gives the lowdown on her latest inclusive ‘Celebrity Fashion Show’ events, spills on partying with Prince Zylinski at his palatial White House London home for Ukraine and the inaugural Surrey Awards 2023 in collaboration with SFW23 this month.
Think you’re too old to model? Think again! You CAN shimmy down that catwalk, whatever your age or ability, even if you’re wheelchair-bound like our shining ‘star of Surrey Fashion Week 2022’, two-time Paralympian world-class tennis player Louise Hunt. With Hollywood and high-profile TV and soap stars strutting their stuff on the runway, too, last September’s Surrey Fashion Week UK’s Celebrity Charity Catwalk Show saw a plethora of famous faces walk an inclusive Fashion Week.
From a ‘Bond’ star making his modelling debut, an Emmy Award-winning teen and fashionista baby, to a former Miss Great Britain and Miss World runner-up showing she’s still got it at the grand ‘young’ age of 78, we even saw debonair dogs dashing down our diverse catwalk! The star-studded event featured a vast array of brands, models and musicians, all uniting for Surrey Fashion Week UK.
TENNIS CHAMP ANDY MURRAY SUPPORTS SFW
What’s more, Louise wasn’t the only well-known tennis player on board our philanthropic event – former World no.1 tennis player, Surrey-based Andy Murray, is also a supporter of SFW, and kindly signed one of his coveted luxury AMC x Castore sports shirts exclusively for us to auction off in aid of Mind mental health in our accompanying silent auction.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION WITH A SURREY-BASED PUSSYCAT DOLL
Our SFW22 concept show, combining fashion with music and dance stemmed from the success of the starry fashion and music event starring Surrey-based Kim and her pro model husband Max Rogers. That inaugural celebrity charity fashion event kicked off with a phenomenal promo photoshoot with former girl band member Kim and her hubby Max Rogers and Surrey Rocks magazine to promote our first 2021 celebrity charity catwalk show. Our exclusive 2021 event was fittingly held in aid of late fashion royalty, Dame Vivienne Westwood’s Cool Earth charity, raising not only awareness of the issues caused by ‘fast fashion’ and the importance of shopping sustainably, but also seeing all profits from ticket sales and the accompanying silent auction go to the world-famous fashion designer’s fundraiser, which strives to keep the rainforest standing and help halt climate change. Set amidst acres of Surrey parkland, Horsley Towers oozes history and heritage at every turn… plus a panoramic terrace with picture-perfect views over its extensive grounds.
“I LOVED doing this shoot!” Kim told me. “I love living in Surrey and discovering gorgeous places like this in Horsley!” she said of the jaw-dropping estate.
INCLUSIVE & DIVERSE CATWALK
Our chosen charity for our first official Surrey Fashion Week show in September 2022 in collaboration with Surrey Rocks was Mind mental health charity, and on a mission to make it an inclusive show, our mix of celebrity and pro models came in all shapes and sizes, as well as ages and abilities, too. Aged from just 14 to almost 80, and with pooches and a Paralympian whizzing along the runway in her wheelchair too, our diverse show really was inclusive to all.
CELEBS GRACE THE RED CARPET
Our star-studded show, sponsored by Hampton Court Gin and our ‘Made In Chelsea’ TV star model Amelia Mist’s London Cru’s wine spritzer LDN SPRITZ, was a truly exclusive red-carpet affair. The exquisite venue saw our glitzy guests greeted with a glass of artisan gin or bubbly before rubbing shoulders with the stars of Surrey and beyond. SFW22’s coveted VIP guest list boasted two-time BBC ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ glitterball winner, professional dance champion Oti Mabuse (now a respected judge on reality TV shows ‘Dancing On Ice’ and ‘The Masked Dancer’) and her ‘Strictly’ pro dancer husband Marius Lepure, along with numerous other showbiz names. ‘Bond’ stars, ‘Strictly’ stars, ‘Made In Chelsea’ stars, Sky Sports presenters, BBC football commentators and racing drivers, along with BRIT Award-winning singers and Emmy Award-winning actors and more gathered at Great Fosters that night… Also rocking up to our venue for the evening was the glamorous Goddess Jessica Monaco, an internationally published cover model and philanthropic actress who has represented Kingston in Miss Great Britain, jaw-droppingly dressed in a sparkly LBD complete with a super-stylish hood. Our dress code? ‘Glam’, of course!
JO O’MEARA THRILLS
What’s more, the glamourous evening at Great Fosters was also the launch party for BRIT Award-winning S Club 7 band member Jo O’ Meara’s new music! We witnessed her very first live performance of her Halloween track – a cover of Michael Jackson’s hit ‘Thriller’ to mark the 40th anniversary of the song’s release.
Jo also had us all over the moon with her incredible rendition of S Club’s huge hit ‘Reach For The Stars’, seeing everyone up on their feet singing and dancing along with her. As one of the hottest stars in music, the super-talented Surrey-born singer-songwriter Cassa Jackson, delivered another pitch-perfect performance showcasing her latest single ‘Sophie’, singing her heart out to a captivated audience. As did Eleni C and her amazing dance crew.
A SKY SPORTS HOST & A STRICTLY EXCLUSIVE
The stage set by Surrey’s Esher Theatre, stepping onto the stage to welcome the anticipant crowd, the brilliant Bryn Lucas, a Surrey-based Sky Sports and World Rallycross presenter and football commentator for BBC Sport, enthralled the audience with his hosting talents. Sporting one of our male designers’ pieces, a super-smart Howard & Co suit, our chivalrous compère for the night took to the mic to announce proceedings and announced all the live music acts, fashion brands and speeches.
Then the show sensationally kicked off in true ‘Strictly’ style by amazing award-winning professional Argentine Tango dancers, Maria Tsiatsiani & Leandro Palou, choreographers on the BBC’s flagship ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ TV show, who delighted the audience with a dazzling dance number – complete with high kicks and huge wow appeal.
MAKING A FASHION STATEMENT
To shout about our strong ‘support local’ message, we invited the cream of our county’s crop of fashion brands to showcase at SFW. Multi-brand Boutique Sale boasts luxury designer womenswear, footwear and accessories in a vast selection of styles at cut-down prices. Nettie Knows, meanwhile, showcases a stunning range of womenswear, kidswear & accessories at their beautiful Weybridge-based boutique.
Surrey Hills-based Haus of Paint use eco inks and fabrics to create a bespoke range of art-inspired garments from Gina, all hand sewn by a local team of talented seamstresses. Gina’s famous fans include TV presenter Angellica Bell. The dream and inspiration of Amanda Warren, whose passion is to bring trending styles alongside unique and distinct pieces, Ruby La La boutique in Farnham brought sparkle aplenty to our show.
Rosella Style chooses clothes that will suit all ages and shapes. At fantastic value, you’ll find wardrobe essentials with timeless functionality, smoothly taking you from season to season. Exciting fashion & lifestyle brand Eluroom inspires women to radiate joy through effortless style & mindset, to live a full spirited life with confidence.
Male brand and Horley-based Lonesome is an independent streetwear collective that produces handcrafted prints on different garments, drawing elements of urban art, streetwear and skateboarding culture to create unique and impactful designs. The Interior Edit, meanwhile, is a stunning lifestyle store stocking a range of beautiful artefacts, clothing, gifts, jewellery, furniture and more, with products carefully chosen from suppliers all around the globe.
Serving Surrey too, dapper Kent-based men’s attire brand Howard & Co. is a super smart brand and THE go-to menswear brand for the very finest of handcrafted attire and handmade shoes. With a HUGE celebrity following, whatever the occasion, the team will suitably suit’n’boot you from top-to-toe. Love from Betty, meanwhile, matches dog outfits to their owners’ attire, meaning they can twin! Honoura is an earth-friendly conscious jewellery brand founded in 2020, with an aim to deliver sensational style and sustainability, while Lily & Grace’s unique makes offer you jewellery as unique as you are, to brighten up your accessories world!
THREE GENERATIONS OF FASHION MODELS
First up fashion-wise, round one on the ramp simultaneously featured three generations of a very fashionable Surrey family, comprising former Miss Great Britain & Miss World runner-up Kathleen, still rockin’ the runway at nearly 80 along with her model daughter Kate (founder of La Vida Model Management agency), who walked carrying her six-week-old fashionista daughter Lily Mae, also showing off the creative talents of local brands in Nettie Knows.
MADE IN CHELSEA – MADE FOR THE CATWALK!
Followed by further famous catwalk queens & kings highlighting the very best of Surrey fashion, ‘Made In Chelsea’ star Amelia Mist also modelled at our 2021 show, as did her runway partner at one point, Surrey-born British-Canadian soap star Matt Lapinksas.
Just as she did at our show the previous year, bubbly Amelia literally skipped onto the catwalk adorning a stunning piece and gave us a twirl, her infectious personality, along with her outfit, delighting the cheering crowd. The popular reality TV star later showcased Surrey’s new streetwear brand alongside Matt, with thecelebrity pair together giving some great end-of-catwalk kicks for the camera!
PARALYMPIAN MODEL
Supported from the sidelines by her new husband – the equally inspiring Paralympian Chris Skelley, a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Champion who received his much-deserved MBE at Windsor Castle last year, before saying ‘I do’ to the lovely Louise just three weeks before our show – our incredible two-time Paralympian proudly modelled seamlessly in her wheelchair. The world-class tennis player & Wimbledon 2022 commentator, who also modelled at LFW last year, is proud to be on the #disabilitypowerlist, and gave a short talk with fellow wheelchair model Samanta Bullock on our SFW22 ‘inclusive & diverse’ show theme. Fresh off the runway from her very own Fashion Week show, London Represents, Samanta boasts a place in the 100 Most Influential Disabled People.
BOND STAR & EMMY WINNER DEBUT
Big screen ‘Bond’ star & ‘Big Brother’ winner Jason Burrill made his modelling debut at SFW22. Since winning ‘Big Brother’, philanthropic Jason has forged a highly successful career in property and acting, starring in ‘The Serpent’ and as a body double in the James Bond film ‘Spectre’ and in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’.
Our incredible teen male model, 15-year-old Emmy Award-winning actor Billy Barratt, made history in 2020 when, aged just 13, he became the youngest recipient of an International EMMY Award for Best Performance By An Actor for his starring role in psychological drama ‘Responsible Child’ rocked the runway and was the nicest guy to chat to backstage. Billy looked amazing in male streetwear brand Lonesome.
GLAMOUROUS GIRLS CAME OUT IN FORCE
Magnificent Maisie Lowe, who won first place in the Editorial Fashionistas category at Top Model UK 2021 was reunited on our catwalk with the gorgeous LFW 2022 model Georgina Hall. Tabloid fave Melissa Howe who has graced the cover of GQ & FHM modelled with her close friend Fifty Shades of Rose, while the reigning Miss Surrey, glamorous Neha Duhill, was very much on point on our runway. Top transformational coach and TV presenter Aysha Bell not only modelled, but also kindly donated a place on her wellbeing retreat in Goa or Cyprus to our silent auction in aid of Ukraine.
Victoria Featherstone Pearce stunned in her outfits and cute K-9 Pups. Other pro models included our stunningly beautiful mature model Sophie Davies from last year’s runway and ‘Your Second-hand Style Sister’ Charlotte Wright-Hammond. Look no further than your thrifty sidekick and fun digital creator Lottie for second-hand inspo in spades! We also featured Surrey’s fab family of models, comprising young teen twin models Sophia & James Burgoyne and older sis Issy who is sweet 16, along with their lovely mum Helen who, sadly, has recently been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, but looked fighting fit and incredible as she strutted her stuff at SFW! A huge thanks goes out the fab backstage hair and MUA team of Emma Bright, Make Up by Jana, Diana Taybridge, Millie Shanks, Taz and Emerson.
WALKING FOR UKRAINE
Ukrainian model, ‘Little Lady in Big Business’ Tetiana Doronina, is a Surrey-based TV presenter and certified luxury brand strategist. The then-pregnant Tetiana walked with her famous fashion-donning toddler in tow. If you think her adorable model son David Barabash looks familiar, you’re not wrong – this super-cute Surrey-born toddler is already world famous. At just three months-old, he starred on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ and featured in the press last year for his striking resemblance to a ‘Baby Boris Johnson’! Born in Kyiv, his model mum Tetiana is also co-founder of the British-Ukrainian Business Women Association (BUBWA) which supports Ukrainian businesswomen temporarily in the UK through its specifically-developed programme.
POOCH PERFECT
What’s more, we even had DOGS on the catwalk! Rescue dogs from Romania donned matching couture clothing with the famous faces walking them at our unique event to raise awareness of K-9 dog rescue charity, which is currently working particularly hard to rescue dogs in Ukraine. The final round finished flamboyantly with a full-on finale. Everyone put their hands together as our male models lined up on the ramp, along with our token lady model Lottie, all suitably suited’n’booted in high-profile men’s fashion brand Howard & Co. showcasing its finest handcrafted attire teamed with gorgeous handmade shoes.
LOVE ISLAND & IBIZA DJ’S CLOSE THE SHOW
Love Islander-turned-boxing-pro Idris Virgo, who has starred on ‘The Challenge’ & ‘Catfish’, looked dashingly dapper donning his go-to fashion brand, making a smart and stylish statement alongside ‘Strictly’ stars Marius and Leandro, ‘Bond’ actor Jason, soap star Matt, actor/model Craig Mearing, Richard Colvill and the brand’s founder Darran, not forgetting the lovely Lottie, all looking SHARP AS in smart suits. Having previously performed alongside Surrey singer Peter Andre, Grammy Award winner Nicole Scherzinger, BRIT Award winner Jessie J and the amazing Mabel, sizzling singer/songwriter and mental health advocate Eleni closed the show with a showstopper of a performance, bringing our memorable celebrity catwalk spectacle to a close. Everyone then put their hands together our models lined up on the ramp, gave us a twirl and took a bow, before Bryn delivered our ‘thank you’ speech. Following a fab fashion-filled evening, it was time to party, and our supercool DJ Stan Mitchell of ‘Love Puppy’, Ministry of Sound and Blue Marlin Ibiza fame, who has played alongside industry legends at Pacha, Egg and The Cross too, made sure everyone did just that. As top tunes span on the decks, the dancefloor filled with fashionistas and a whole host of famous party guests.
UKRAINE FUNDRAISER AT PRINCE ZYLINSKI’S
Our subsequent collaborative fundraising gala took place this February at Polish Prince Zylinski’s unique palatial home, The White House London. Marking the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, Surrey Rocks and I assisted our Ukrainian SFW model, Tetiana, to raise funds to help Ukrainian children and adults through her BUBWA Association (which works with the Medway charity) as well as international charity Hospices of Hope. The charity is currently fundraising to build a much-needed new hospice in war-torn Ukraine. My glitzy VIP guestlist included Hollywood actor River Hawkins, who has starred in ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’, ‘C.S. Lewis: Beyond Narnia’ and ‘Manolo, The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards’ along with ‘Big Brother’ winner-turned-‘Bond’ star Jason Burrill and actress/social media sensation Chloe Khan.
The evening also raised funds for the Prince’s campaign to build a memorial in central London to commemorate the RAF Polish pilots who helped win the Battle of Britain and featured an exciting live auction. Phenomenal prizes included a signed t-shirt from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy (the one he wore at the beginning of the war), along with signed boxing gloves from high-profile Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk up for grabs in aid of the first lady of Ukraine’s charity, the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
SURREY AWARDS 2023 x SFW23
But back to the fashion… and if you can’t wait for your next Surrey fashion fix, famous faces will again be gracing the red carpet at our next glamorous fashion show, spinning with the latest top Surrey fashion collections and other creative designs this May!
SFW23 will take place in collaboration with the inaugural Surrey Rocks ‘Best Of Surrey’ Awards at the stunning Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking on May 25th. Guests will indulge in fine sparkling English fizz & canapés at our glittering Welcome Reception, before being treated to entertainment from artists, including ‘X-Factor’ star Russell Jones, MTV’s DJ Cream and globally-renowned Tatler harpist Amie True, singer/songwriter Kayla Amor and Sav, Head of Magic, along with the very best of Surrey fashion modelled by famous faces, followed by a delectable three-course meal washed down with fine wines at the glitzy Awards ceremony.
As a Surrey-born TV producer, freelance celebrity cover journalist and the co-founder of Surrey Fashion Week, I am proud to be on the judging panel for the inaugural Surrey Awards, alongside BBC sports pundit and former England, Liverpool & Tottenham footballer Danny Murphy, comedian/actor Bobby Davro, the Editor of Surrey Rocks, SFW model Kate (Director of La Vida Model Management) and former Elle/Sky Magazine Managing Director Martin Matthews. We have collectively shortlisted the nominees although, ultimately, it’s the public who decide the winners and runners-up in each category.
Our star-studded event will be in aid of Prostate Cancer Research UK, with our VIP guests including TV stars, high-profile Disney and Marvel movie producers, and legendary Canadian DJ David ‘Kid’ Jenson – watch this space!
