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| Converse Group unveiled exciting plans for Foyle Fashion Week, the North West’s first fashion week, today, 16 June. Kicking off 20 September 2008 the week of fashion filled events aims to position the North West as a fashion hub by celebrating the region’s heritage of textiles while showcasing up-and-coming designers and exhibiting the best of the region’s retailers. This is the first fashion event of this magnitude to happen outside of Belfast or Dublin, and is sure to be a fantastic addition to the North West’s event’s calendar.Foyle Fashion Week is the creation of local entrepreneur, Donal Doherty, of Converse Group, a group of agencies working to provide a complete |
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| promotional solution for businesses in the North West and beyond. Converse Communications launched in Derry in September 2007, followed by Converse Models in February 2008. The Converse team is ideally placed to deliver the event, with Converse Communications creating maximum exposure for Foyle Fashion Week, and Converse Models providing local models for the event. |
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| Over the last eight months the Converse team has been consulting stakeholders, including Derry City Council, Invest NI, Chamber of Commerce, DVCB, University of Ulster, NWRC, retailers, schools and the general public to obtain feedback on what they would like to see from their Foyle Fashion Week. The team was invited to Dublin Fashion Week, and they attended a wide range of fashion events across Ireland including Magners Light Spring into Summer and West Coast Cooler Belfast Fashion Week. Subsequently the team has been extended an invitation to attend London Fashion Week this coming September. They have used this experience to create a unique event, which will reflect the North West’s distinct culture and relationship with fashion. |
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| An event by people in the North West, for people in the North West, the organisers of Foyle Fashion Week would like everyone to get involved in the event, as it will benefit a great number of people in the region. Retailers including Minx, Seven, Wardrobe, Clare Clothing, Monsoon, Jack & Jones, Poppy Boutique and Hat Hire, Chocolate, Tokyo, Identity and Chic have all signed up and look forward to displaying their clothes on the runway this September. With a number of designers also signing up, Foyle Fashion Week will have something to suit every style and budget, from innovative knitwear designers Liam Greer and Michi, to the ultra-modern Jarayd F*. Hair at Foyle Fashion Week will be styled by Suede, a Five Star Hair Salon, as awarded by Good Hair Guide, and makeup will be handled by Irish Make-up Artist of the Year 2006/2007, Rosemary Wright, of Ashburn Image, assuring that all the models look glamorous on the catwalk. |
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| Two shows are already fully booked by retailers, with capacity to run more shows if the interest continues at the current level. Converse plans to roll out two seasons a year and would like to run events in a number of locations across Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. The cost of getting involved in Foyle Fashion Week is very affordable, making the event accessible to designers and retailers of all sizes. The innovative agency has been working with a number of major brands to secure sponsorship, but is also keen to get local businesses involved and they have tailored a number of sponsorship packages to meet the specific requirements of businesses looking to make an impact. In a drive to achieve maximum value for those who will attend Foyle Fashion Week, and to provide an opportunity for other businesses outside the fashion industry to benefit from Fashion Week, Converse Group has created an exciting discount scheme and fashion first, ‘Style Card.’ The card will be available with every ticket purchased at no additional cost. Audiences can view the style on the catwalk, find the details of the garments in the Foyle Fashion Week programme, and then using Style Card receive a great discount when they go to purchase the item. Style Card is not exclusive to fashion, but extends to cover all your needs during Foyle Fashion Week. In addition to receiving discounts with retailers and designers, you can treat yourself to an over night stay at a chic hotel, a pampering session or eat out at one of the region’s finest restaurants, and all at a discounted rate. Style Card is great value for businesses to get involved in, with Encore Brasserie, Fitzroys and Quay West among some of the participants signing up to the initiative. With Style Card people are sure to enjoy Foyle Fashion Week in style. |
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| Foyle Fashion Week is a fashion event with a conscience, with charity initiative, Fashion Aid, set to raise money for Foyle Hospice and Children in Crossfire. Converse Group also consulted with schools across the region to develop Fashion Academy, a project to nurture the talent of students in the North West. A Fashion Masterclass is also in the pipeline, with the team currently in talks with a high profile designer to deliver a talk about the realities of working in the fashion industry. More details of Fashion Aid and Fashion Academy will be revealed in the press in the coming weeks. |
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| Northern Ireland‘s leading glossy magazine, Ulster Tatler, is the official media partner for Foyle Fashion Week. The award-winning publication holds the title of CIPR magazine of the year for the second year running and boasts an impressive 279,000 readers. Converse is keen to work with the media to generate fashion features and supplements in run up to the event to keep the public informed of progress. |
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| Director of Converse, Donal Doherty, encourages people in the North West to support the initiative:“Foyle Fashion Week provides independent retailers and designers with an opportunity to showcase their clothes alongside major international brands, providing a flavour of everything that is available in the North West’s rich shopping environment. Through Fashion Academy, Fashion Masterclass, and work with local designers, we hope to facilitate the development of a vibrant hub of fashion and design in the region.” |
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| Donal continues:“Foyle Fashion Week has the opportunity to be a major event in the calendar of activities in the North West, which will benefit a wide range of stakeholders, stimulating commerce, attracting tourists, enriching culture, developing skills, providing entertainment, supporting charity and creating highly skilled employment opportunities in the process.” |
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| Commenting on the help required to succeed with Foyle Fashion Week Donal explains:“Belfast Fashion Week is supported by Belfast City Council and in order for Foyle Fashion Week to reach its potential we need Derry City Council to commit to support Foyle Fashion Week in the same way. We have put forward a proposal to the council and while the funding is not available from the city’s marketing department, it has now been passed to the festivals department where we hope they will recognise the many ways the event will benefit the wide range of stakeholders involved.” |
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| Girls Aloud singer and native of the Maiden City, Nadine Coyle, is excited about Foyle Fashion Week. Nadine comments;“I’ve always thought of Derry as a very fashionable town, with gorgeous girls in it. It would be great to see all the styles and trends put together in the fashion shows. Wish I could be there, Love Nadine.” |
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| Foyle Fashion Week kicks off 20 September with a unique ‘Livin’ Dolls’ display in retailer’s windows across the North West and is sure to be a great start to a fantastic event. Tickets for Foyle Fashion Week go on sale on 17 July with the launch of the website and the North West’s glitterati will be out in full force to celebrate at the official launch party that night in Cube Bar, Sugar. For further information on Foyle Fashion Week contact Converse Group on 028 7128 6767. |
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