As London Fashion Week draws to a close, Celebrity Journalist Angela Sara West gives the lowdown on the star-studded sustainable charity catwalk show she brought to our county during LFW last September, in collaboration with Surrey Rocks and kicked off by Pussycat Doll & ‘Dancing On Ice’ star Kimberly Wyatt.
Angela also reveals how you can get your hands on coveted tickets to her next glamorous fashion show – with Lady Wimbledon on Tuesday 8th March. Join us at this unique 360° runway show on International Women’s Day.
Victoria Beckham, Naomie Harris, Tom Daley… The stars have been styling it out at the capital’s fashion shows over the last few days.
From the red carpet to our wardrobes, we’ve been witnessing another scintillating season of fashion weeks across the globe and last
September saw Surrey launch its very own catwalk show during London Fashion Week (LFW), when I teamed up with LFW designer VzPerfection and my photographer Earl Santos to bring the sustainable fashion movement to a celebrity catwalk in our county.
A high-profile Pussycat Doll was among those striking a pose in ethical outfits for us, inspiring fans with a passion for fashion to start taking it slow and say ‘no’ to fast fashion. She’s among the many famous faces who have been making a shift to eco-friendly fashion and showing that Surrey Rocks when it comes to style, Weybridge-based Kimberly Wyatt and her international model husband Max Rogers put on the ethical garment glitz at the devine De Vere hotel venue in East Horsley, to promote the philanthropic celebrity,catwalk show.
Our exclusive event was fittingly held in aid of 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 funds for our charity of choice. We also lent support to local businesses, through a special silent auction accompanying our show.
With big names, including Cate Blanchett and Joaquin Phoenix, joining the anti-throwaway fashion movement, sustainability is still very much a buzzword, and consumers are increasingly conscious of the fact that fast fashion – and wearing an outfit just once for Instagram – is detrimental to the environment. Eco-conscious fashionistas are also making a big fashion statement, and a pattern has been emerging of people following suit, but many still treat shopping as a pastime and clothing as disposable, meaning consumption is, sadly, still out of control.
KIM, MAX & VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
In fact, fast fashion is the planet’s second worst polluter, and eco-conscious Kim & Max make a stand against it whenever they can.Playing their part in protecting the planet, the environmentally-conscious couple has also collaborated on a global eco campaign for Cool Earth, a charity working with rainforest villages to help halt deforestation and climate change, supported by its fashion designer patron Westwood.
With big names on board supporting the #saynotofastfashion message, the ‘Dancing On Ice’ Star and her model hubby helped fundraise for Cool Earth through ticket sales to our fashion show and winning auction bids, featuring sensational VIP experiences and prizes from famous faces and products from sustainable businesses. The tickets were so popular that Surrey Rocks had a 180-strong wait list of guests that were unable to attend as ticket sales were already allocated before the show!
THE DE VERE TOWERS
The setting for the philanthropic show was at Surrey’s stunning DeVere Horsley Estate, a fabulous fairytale castle. It’s no wonder this spectacular estate’s spiralling towers have starred in ‘The Crown’. Set amidst acres of Surrey parkland, and situated just outsideGuildford, the Horsley Estate oozes history and heritage at every turn.
Designed and built in 1820 by Sir Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament, the house was later the seat of the Lovelacefamily, and comes complete with a beautiful lake, perfectly-manicured lawn, plus a panoramic terrace with picture-perfect views over itsextensive grounds.
The eco-conscious celebrity couple kindly took time out from their hectic schedules to wear sustainable Vz Perfection at the venue, creatively captured by photographer Earl from Wackpaper17 Photography.
V had reworked her famous Dragonflies showstopper dress to make it sustainable for our shoot, showcased exquisitely by Kim in Earl’s phenomenal photos. “This Dragonflies dress is absolutely incredible…” said Kim, as she surveyed the meticulously-handsewn trailing material.
Max, sported a pop of purple after V reworked a sumptuous velvet jacket, now also adorned with her signature Dragonfly design tocompliment the jaw-dropping dazzling Dragonflies dress on Kim. V also mixed black denim with tweed for a second striking jacket, before Kim jumped up to dance in the chapel in a gorgeous upcycled blue silk dress from her ‘Colours of Life’ collection. The couple went on to wear several other sustainable brands during the shoot, including Nanushka (at Bernard Boutique, Esher) and Dea Kudibal (at Gigi Boutique, Haslemere) along with Scotch & Soda (at online retailer Paradise Boutique.)
“I LOVED doing this shoot!” Kim told me. “I love living in Surrey and discovering gorgeous places like this in Horsley!” she said of thejaw-dropping estate. “What a gem…just dripping in elegance and history!” “We had a great time!” added Max. “It was REALLY lovely…”
ETHICAL FASHION
With fast fashion quickly falling out of favour, many labels are having a radical rethink. In fashion, forever, is at the forefront of many brands’ minds. LFW designer V cares deeply about her products’ provenance and the issues surrounding fast fashion, and with “Circularity” – ‘designing out’ waste and ensuring clothing can be remade again and again – London Fashion Week’s central concept and buzzword – she had cleverly upcycled ball gowns with modern twists’n’turns, transforming them into astonishing sustainable pieces.
Caring for the planet doesn’t have to cost the earth, and to help us prove that point, I approached big names to be on board our Celebrity
Charity Catwalk event. And so, on the evening of Friday 17th September 2021, Earl, V and I collaboratively brought London Fashion Week to Surrey.
CELEBS GRACE THE RED CARPET
Our star-studded show, sponsored by Ajmal Perfumes, was an exclusive red-carpet affair, seeing our glitzy guests greeted with a glass of bubbly before rubbing shoulders with the stars of Surrey and beyond.
Our dress code? ‘Glam’, in line with V’s new collection. As well-known and well-heeled, red carpet arrivals posed for photographer Earl and videographers Ashley Gray and Jack Kennedy from LightBox Media, the strains of our sensational Frank Sinatra tribute act, Frank Cognoscenti, could be heard serenading guests inside our glittering venue.
The coveted VIP guest list boasted Made in Chelsea stars, EastEnders actors and Love Islanders, along with other showbiz names. Also rocking up to our castle for the evening were ‘stylists to the stars’ Marie and Claire from Surrey Frills. Reality TV star and influencer Danielle Broadbent was pretty in pink, perfectly paired with her equally pink-attired pal.
Alex Best, model and ex-wife of football legend George Best, was also among the front-row crowd, along with stars of EastEnders and other soaps. Love Islander-turned-boxing-pro Idris Virgo looked dashingly dapper dressed in his go-to fashion brand Howard & Co. making a smart and stylish statement on FROW alongside Lady Jessica Monaco, an internationally-published cover model and actress who has represented Kingston in Miss Great Britain.
Plenty of press were in attendance, too, with everyone welcomed by my fab team, including Project Manager Julie Suttle, Co-ordinator Clare Waters and glamorous Assistants Claire Price and Helen Bourgogne before being ushered through the grand entrance to their photocall in the historic hotel bar, where a bespoke photohub alcove in the bar beckoned, beautifully bedecked with a black-and-gold balloon wall by Walton-on-Thames-based brand Basically Balloons. This striking nook became a popular hotspot for pics throughout the eventful evening.
Behind the scenes, backstage was buzzing, under the attentive eye of Sam Cross Jones, Backstage Director for Fashion London and Top Model UK/Worldwide and Events Planner extraordinaire Rosanna Oliver-Black. Our famous and pro & amateur models from La Vida Model Management including the stunning Kate were made up and styled to perfection by second-to-none celebrity make-up artist LanNguyen-Grealis and her team at Studio One. Our top Surrey hair stylists – Terri Delahunty, Fi Rider-Morley, Diana Taybridge and Sean Alexander Hair Studio – topped off Lan’s unbeatable makeovers on our amazing models with the coolest of hairstyles.
With the stage set by Live Events Scenery Specialist David Sadler from Farnham-based Torpedo Factory Group – our enthusiastic guests made their way to the Great Hall housing the runway. Among the fash pack on that all-important FROW (front row) stylishly-cool ‘Made In Chelsea’ stars eagerly awaited an appearance by their modelling co-star Amelia Mist, among the other eco-conscious fashionistas out for their fashion fix.
Stepping onto the stage to welcome the crowd to Surrey’s inaugural celebrity charity catwalk show during LFW, glamorous Cobham-based actress Debbie Arnold – who has starred in EVERY major TV soap, from EastEnders to Emmerdale – was our compere for the night.
Debbie’s life in showbiz has seen her not only tread the Corrie cobbles, but also co-create the highly-successful, online chat showWonderbirds during lockdown, with Loose Woman and Benidorm actress Sherrie Hewson, along with her other actor friends Harriet Thorpe and Dee Anderson. Debbie also co-presents myth-busting celebrity beauty tips show The Beauty Angels with model and actress Linda Lusardi and recently founded Surrey Singletons, hosting popular events for single Surreyites looking for love.
Enthralling the audience with her hosting talents too, Debbie took to the mic to announce proceedings, which started on the big screen before live music came from a couple of our celebrity models and special guests, ending in a celebrity, catwalk spectacle.
The audience was firstly treated to a special video message from Kim & Max about the show, which we pre-recorded at our photoshoot with them, followed by a montage of cover interviews with the famous pair, plus Earl’s pics of our promo shoot for the show and our fashion feature for Surrey Rocks. Up next, a montage of cover interviews with other famous faces including ‘A Place in the Sun’ presenter Laura Hamilton – who kindly offered a VIP afternoon tea experience with herself at her Purley restaurant & coffee shop Lord Roberts on the Green to our accompanying charity auction – along with my interview with daredevil adventurer Bear Grylls, who boasts an on-site Bear Grylls Survival Academy at the venue.
Another specially-recorded video message of support came from former Strictly pro Flavia Cacace & her Hollywood actor husband Jimi Mistry (whom she met on the hit BBC dancing show). The dancing duo mentioned they had recently moved from Guildford to Devon to switch to a sustainable lifestyle to live the good life and help protect our planet.
STAR PERFORMANCES
Along with their passion for fashion, many of our famous models participating in the show have a penchant for performing, so I invited a few of them to firstly take to the stage to sing. First up to show off her creative talents, and one of V’s hot new sustainable pieces, was Hollywood & Bollywood movie star Sofia Hayat, who dressed in an ethereal flowy pink number to perform songs from her new spiritual healing album, ‘Wisdom of the Mother’.
More magical music followed from Surrey’s own singer-songwriter Cassa Jackson, donning another gorgeously-upcycled Vz gown. One of the hottest stars in music, the super-talented Surreyite showcased her latest single, singing her heart out to a captivated audience, just before going on tour with JLS!
Another pitch-perfect performance came from our special guest, the phenomenal songstress Justine Afante, who stole the nation’s hearts on being crowned the winner of ‘The Voice Kids’. Blowing everyone away with her incredible singing voice at just 13, she looked pretty as a picture in a hot pink dress upcycled by V, her family beaming with pride on front row as our final sensational singer of the evening belted out beautiful back-to-back renditions of ‘Never Enough’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’ and Adele’s ‘When We Were Young’.
“It was magical…” she told me post performance. “So many dreams come true. I’ve never sung before at a fashion show and can’t wait to do it again! I felt like a princess.”
“Justine’s voice was first-class,” John Altman, AKA Nasty Nick in EastEnders and another of our VIP guests on FROW, told me following her powerful performance.
A MODEL MIX
On a mission to make it an inclusive show, our mix of celebrity and pro models came in all shapes and sizes and ages, too.
Walking the ramp along with actress/singer Sofia Hayat and Surrey’s singer/songwriter Cassa Jackson was popular ‘Made In Chelsea’ star
Amelia Mist, Surrey’s very own 2021 Love Islander all-singing-all dancing Amy Day, singer/songwriter Stacey Jackson and former ‘EastEnders’ actor Matt Lapinskas, also from Surrey.
Pro and amateur models, meanwhile, ranged in age from 13-58, and with a plus-size model gracing the runway to boot, our show was
inclusive to all including the stunning Sophie Davies, who works with Gok Wan and can often be seen parading outfits on ITV This Morning’s catwalk. LVMM’s Kate &Maxine Johara, who is also signed to the agency, modelled alongside make-up artist/model/influencerZoe Ilana Hill. V’s close friend Angelina Vajja made her LFW catwalk debut, along with our gorgeous young teen models Sophia Burgoyne, Layla Oliver and Molly Stanton.
Round one on the ramp saw an introduction to V’s world of designing, with a beautiful bridal collection and off-the-peg pieces showcasing a combination of her creativity and versatility. This commercial wearable collection also showcased wedding dresses for the mother-of-the-bride, along with young people having fun in V’s quirky styles and creations. Round two saw our celebrity and pro models back on the catwalk for V’s new Spring Summer sustainable range.
These showstopping garments included the sustainable pieces previously modelled by Kim & Max during our promo, interspersed with other new hot-off-the-press numbers, being displayed for the first time to a delighted crowd of onlookers.
Hollywood & Bollywood actress Sofia Hayat boldly stepped out in V’s brand-new, showstopper dress; featuring 220 metres of tulle, using cut-offs from the wedding dresses she makes. This was lovingly created with the leftover denim fabric from her ‘Colours of Life’ collection from the previous year.
“The energy of the show was super good, and I loved how the clothes made me feel,” Sofia told me. “It’s the way fashion should be… fashion shouldn’t just be for a particular type or particular look, especially at Fashion Week… Fashion Week has to be inclusive, otherwise it’s a form of inequality, so they’re creating inequality in fashion shows, I believe. And V is catering for everyone, from 13 year-olds to 60+, everybody can wear the clothes.”
From cut-away sleeves to add-ons, this collection was completely sustainable, the main message, of course, being the importance of
reducing waste, and fighting back against fashion’s throwaway culture, raising awareness of the issues caused by ‘fast fashion’ and the
importance of shopping sustainably to protect our planet.
Amelia Mist literally skipped onto the catwalk and gave us a twirl, her infectious personality delighting the crowd, including her MIC mates on FROW and planet-passionate Amelia’s proud-as-punch parents holding her cute pooch, Princess.
“I was so nervous!” the spiritual reality TV star revealed to me outside on the red carpet when we caught up after the show. “It was probably the most petrifying thing I’ve ever done, but you’ve got to create those boundaries and break them down and enjoy it, and itwas for such a very special cause. When you do it once, you get over that fear and think, ‘okay, it’s actually not so bad!’”
Our Surrey-born Love Island model Amy Day partnered with Hugo Hammond on last summer’s show, and has since modelled for the likes of Miss Pap, Shein, Iconic and Pretty Little Thing. “It was such a privilege to be asked to take part in the charity fashion show! Not only was it great fun on the night itself, but it was an honour to meet so many incredible people and hear about the work of Cool Earth.”
Amy’s captivated guests included Nick Howard Lanes, a designer in TV as well as Fashion Style. “I’m set to be the ‘Gok Wan for gents’, he
told me, and revealed he was styling Ugo Monye and Sam Quek for the newly-rebranded ‘Question of Sport’ at the time. “I’m a personal stylist helping men to overcome insecurities and mental health through owning a sense of style.”
Our one-and-only male model, Surrey actor Matt Lapinskas, said, “I had an absolutely amazing time modelling! The range was so classy and all fitted so well. My jacket was my favourite – the whole concept of reusing what you already have is brilliant. I would like to thank everyone on the team that was there…from hair and make-up teams, to dressers and everyone else working on the show!”
Canadian singer/songwriter/actress and author Stacey Jackson also enjoyed striking a pose on the catwalk, “It was such a pleasure to participate in the fashion show,” she told me afterwards. “The dresses were so lovely, and everything was so well organised! Everyone from the people backstage, to the people in the audience were awesome. We all had an amazing night!”
The final round finished flamboyantly with a full-on finale. Everyone put their hands together as all models lined up on the ramp and designer V took to the stage before taking a bow, beckoning myself and Earl to join her as she delivered her ‘thank you’ speech.
After words of thanks and flowers were exchanged, it was time to party, and our supercool DJ Rodri from Social Mix was there to make sure everyone did just that. As top tunes span on the decks, the dancefloor filled with fashionistas and party guests, while others tucked into mouth-watering tantalising Spanish delights out front with Zane from La Paella Paella, as enjoyed on our screens by ‘This Morning’ hosts Holly Willoughby & Phillip Schofield.
V created sustainable luxury gift bags for attendees, which my team filled with goodies I’d sourced from famous faces and sustainable
Surrey businesses, including singer Ellie Goulding’s Served seltzer, sustainable beer by Crumbs Brewing and fragrant samples from our sponsor, Ajmal Perfumes.
SILENT AUCTION OF STAR EXPERIENCES
Our hugely-successful fashion event over, the spotlight then shone on our sizzling SUSTAINABIDDITY silent auction, also in aid of Cool Earth and accompanying our star-studded show. The show’s stars, high-profile guests and sustainable Surrey businesses generously gave VIP experiences and kind donations of eco products for people to win.
From afternoon tea with ‘A Place in the Sun’ presenter Laura Hamilton and My World VIP concierge at Richard Branson’s villas in Mallorca, to personal styling and jewellery-making, there was something for all to bid for.
Celebrity chef Aldo Zilli donated a Masterclass with himself at his Surrey home & restaurant CASA ZILLI where the lucky winner wouldlearn to cook up a storm alongside Aldo in his ‘5-star rated Neighbourhood Kitchen’ before taking a seat at the Chef’s table for lunch, washed down with a range of Italian wines to complement their own culinary masterpieces, followed by a stroll in CASA ZILLI’s beautiful private woodlands.
You could even win a date with a couple of our VIP guests at the show – Love Island star & pro boxer Idris Virgo or dinner with LadyJessica Monaco. Our amazing show hosts, De Vere Hotels donated a one-night stay with dinner at Horsley Towers for two while premium sustainable Silent Pool Gin offered a tasty tour for four at their fascinating distillery in the stunning Surrey Hills overlooking the famous Silent Pool with Agatha Christie connections. Other donations came from Dr Ross at Cosmedics, My Reiki Star, Jon Dibben Jewellery, Gift wrapper to the Royals & Stars Jane Mean, Veeno in Reigate, The Silver Sprite, Ditton Cruisers, Dukes Yard Café, Station Pub, Korpi Forest School and Coffee Flamingo.
Thank you to all the amazing, generous businesses and celebrities who kindly offered us these fantastic prizes in aid of Cool Earth, where many magical memories were made at this amazing event. We raised not only the awareness of the issues caused by ‘fastfashion’ and the importance of shopping sustainably, but funds for fashion queen Vivienne Westwood’s Cool Earth charity.
LADY WIMBLEDON FASHION GALA
Can’t wait for your next fashion fix? Join me and famous faces at my next glamorous fashion show with Lady Wimbledon, featuring a unique 360°catwalk, spinning with ethical fashion and other creative designs. This exclusive celebrity charity catwalk event on International Women’s Day will be a networking event and party with a twist! Designer/creative looking to showcase your work? Famous face after a place on my coveted VIP guest list? DM me now @angela_sara_west. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit
