On a rare evening out, James and I headed into central London to attend Fashion with Compassion. Run by the charity Compassion UK, it was an event that showcased the work of designers and brands who do business that little bit differently. Brands whose focus isn’t purely on making money, rather trying to make a difference to those living in poverty throughout our world.
Think bright lights, catwalks, stalls, goodie bags and drinks. The band Written for Kings were playing, Simon Ward Chief Operating Officer of The British Fashion Council spoke and we heard first hand from graduates of Compassion UK’s Sponsor a Child Program of the difference it has made to their lives – it really was an evening to remember! Here’s what you missed:
Back stage, models prepare for the catwalk.
Top photo: Shannon McNally, Charlotte Maslin, Rebecca Walker. 2nd photo: Charlotte and Victoria Maslin.
Oozoos worn by model Charlotte Maslin
Nicky Chung, founder of Oozoos, explained to me that the print of the “My Name is Qian Qian” T Shirt (pictured above in blue) was a collaboration with AOAart. Autistic Or Artistic? art is a non-profit organisation that helps autistic children express themselves through art.
William and Arthur wearing Little Landowners clothing. This brand seeks to support British manufacturers, all the clothes are made in the UK and as many of the materials as possible are also sourced from the UK.
In the interval we had a chance to look at the stalls to the soundtrack of Written in Kings, click below for a listen.
I particularly enjoyed meeting Hannah from Babu Jewellery London and Jollie Socks.
Jollie socks! These bright stripey socks brought a smile to my face. With the slogan “Wear a pair, share a pair”, every time you buy a pair of socks, a pair is given to someone homeless in the UK. That evening the homeless of Tower Hamlets were benefiting.
It was a really inspiring evening, so thank you to Compassion UK and all those who contributed to this wonderful event.
Let’s hope they do another one next year!
Photography by Ella Dickinson, www.elladickinson.com used with permission of Compassion UK.