10 things not to miss at The Clothes Show this July

New city, new dates, new style - the Clothes Show Live is back this summer (7- 9 July). Revamped as the British Style Collective, the fashion showcase will take over five of Liverpool’s most iconic locations for a jam-packed weekend bursting with beauty, fashion and trends.  

From top designer’s must-see shows to fashion influencer’s insider tips, here’s ten things you don’t want to miss at this year’s event.

Be blown away by ‘Rock the Runway’ (Alcatel Fashion Theatre)

A highlight of the weekend, the iconic Alcatel Fashion Theatre will showcase ‘Rock the Runway’, an explosive spectacle of fashion-meets-music. Flawlessly styled models and dancers will take to the stage of the Echo Arena to bring fashion to life through the medium of breath-taking performance. A warm-up set from local radio station Capital’s DJs will ensure the audience is pumped before each performance. Blazing lights, powerful moves and oodles of attitude ensure that this will be unlike any fashion show you’ve ever seen before.  

Explore inspiring workshops at The Creative Hub

A new addition to the calendar, this year’s show will feature a Creative Hub designed for the next generation of fashion talent. Set in the Baltic Triangle (Camp and Furnace, Constellations and Great Baltic Warehouse), the one-day programme will inspire and educate budding fashionistas through a series of creative talks and behind-the-scenes looks at the industry, led by Professor Caryn Franklin MBE. A pioneering body image campaign hosted by Beautiful is_ and local illustrator Kitty Fuller will invite students to experience a fashion illustration workshop using dancers of all body shapes to explore - and open a discussion on - the perceptions of beauty. Students are invited to act as editors, photographers and journalists throughout the day, with the chance to submit their work post-show for The Young Journalist of the Year Award 2017.

Marvel at the St George’s Hall catwalks

Nestled in the heart of the city centre, St George’s Hall will offer a grandiose setting for a selection of designer catwalks and trend presentations. Offering a carefully created contrast between rich architecture and contemporary design, the Grade I listed building will provide the perfect backdrop to cutting edge fashion from high-street to high-end, with showcases including London label Sorapol and Liverpool’s very own Philip Armstrong. Hot off the heels of the runway collections, live interviews with the designers will be hosted by Hilary Alexander OBE, former fashion director of The Daily Telegraph and Britain’s Next Top Model series judge.

Gain expert advice from industry insiders

Adding to the exciting education programme, Fashion stylist and Broadcaster Antonia O’Brien will host a series of Q&As and discussions with experts across the fashion and beauty realm. Body Confidential’s very own Editor L’Oréal Blackett will join the expert panel alongside Glamour’s Editor Jo Elvin and InStyle Director Josh Newis-Smith to discuss issues and ideas for the fashion industry.   

Get scouted by IMG Models

The driving force behind supermodels Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham, international modelling agency IMG Models will be attending the weekend in force to find the next top model. Twenty top talent scouts from across the globe will be on the lookout throughout the event for a new supermodel icon – find out how to get spotted here.

Watch the model casting below:

Castings Models from Manchester Confidential on Vimeo.

Graduate Fashion Week’s Gala Show

Get a first-hand glimpse at the award-winning collections of 2017 at the highly acclaimed Gala Show, presented by Graduate Fashion Week (The Creative Hub). The show will feature as part of the ‘Raw Catwalk’ feature, which will showcase fresh design talent and graduates, as well as insights into what it takes to pull-off your own catwalk show. 

Shop from over 300 fashion brands

From the hottest on the high street to budding boutiques, over 300 retailers have lined up to showcase their latest collections across the weekend. Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre will be transformed into a shopping haven, complete with pop-up stores from the likes of Victoria’s Secret, Oasis, River Island and Accessorize for the ultimate shopping experience. 

Get boozy at The Bubbles Bar

No catwalk celebration would be complete without a glass of bubbly. So, once you’ve soaked up the style sites, learnt everything you needed to know from the industry insiders and had your carefully coordinated socks knocked off by the ‘Rock the Runway’ show, then it’s time to stick your feet up at The Bubbles Bar and sip some fizz. Set right in the heart of the Exhibition Centre, the busy bar offers a range of beverages and cocktails for you to enjoy, courtesy of official drinks sponsor Halewood.   

Spot the celebrity guests

As the UK fashion event of the year, the British Style Collective is anticipated to be highly attended by local celebrities and influencers. The Saturdays’ Mollie King, former Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh and Greater Manchester-born fashion designer Henry Holland are amongst some of the big names attending the occasion. Expect many the appearance from the blogging community, with Sarah Ashcroft of That Pommie Girl and Megan Ellaby of Pages By Megan joining the panel discussions to share their blogging know-how. 

Get fresh inspo from Tigi hair

The brains behind Bedhead and go-to salon products, expect cutting edge looks from the official backstage hair partner TIGI International Creative Team. The team will be exclusively styling the models and dancers backstage for all the shows, so watch out for some killer looks.  

To find out more about the biggest fashion event of the summer, see here.