THE BALTIC TRIANGLE is home to Liverpool’s most innovative people and businesses, and you don’t have to look far to find an exciting project in the works. This week was no different, as the Baltic’s Camp & Furnace played host to the campaign shoot of British Style Collective presented by the Clothes Show in association with Alcatel.
What is the British Style Collective?
British Style Collective, owned by Haymarket Media Group, and formerly known as The Clothes Show, is relocating to Liverpool this summer, after 27 years in the NEC Birmingham. The event has attracted 100,000 fashion lovers to Birmingham every December over the years, and will be coming to Liverpool 7-9 July 2017. After being previously based in one arena, British Style Collective will be utilising some of the city’s iconic locations, namely the ACC Liverpool, the Anglican Cathedral, St George’s Hall, Albert Dock, and Camp and Furnace.
Group Marketing Manager of Haymarket Media Group, Sarah Parker, said there was a need for a change this year with the desire for locations that supported different styles. For example, St George’s Hall will house designer fashion, whilst Camp and Furnace will host the educational fashion graduate show. Liverpool is the ideal city to facilitate the concept of fashion moving around the city, with a summer festival vibe, which would have been difficult to achieve in Birmingham. Camp and Furnace is an ideal venue for the event due to its great open spaces, and The Baltic Triangle’s trendy vibe.
As the fashion shoot was taking place in the Baltic, we went down to take a look and see what we can expect from the summer show.
The Clothes
Stylist Karl Willett has worked with celebrities such as Paloma Faith, Geri Halliwell and Jessie J, and has been the Director of Styling and Fashion for The Clothes Show since 2011, returning for this summer’s British Style Collective event. The fashion shoot consisted of two main looks; spring and summer 2017. The spring look incorporated an array of pastel tones, layered outfits and lots of denim, whereas the summer outfits showcased edgy and rock vibes, with a clashing colour palette, embellishments and harsher fabrics. A popular fabric for this season is tulle, particularly paired with cotton t-shirts or vests, making it wearable during the daytime. In terms of footwear, Karl emphasised the prominence of printed shoes, mules, and thigh high boots.
The Hair
Owner of Liverpool’s Bleach Hair & Spa, Karl Mathers, was the hair stylist for the shoot. Slick and straight hair is the new trend for spring and summer, with a noticeable move away from big and bouncy hair. Loose curls and more relaxed hair have made a comeback, with much less of an emphasis on height and volume. Karl also pointed out that male grooming has become increasingly popular, with men sporting quiffs more and more, and even perms in many cases. There is a definite 50s and 60s influence in haircuts this season, with a sure nod to the teddy boy look. In terms of colour, it isn’t as ‘perfect’ as it has been previously, with visible roots becoming a trend rather than a faux pas. Muted colours such as silver, bubble gum pink and salmon have also become increasingly common, with pastel shades being a must for summer.
The Makeup
Grace and Christina, of The Makeup Artist Studio, Bold Street, were the makeup artists of the British Style Collective models for the shoot. They advised that fresh, dewy skin and hints of metallic and shimmery elements is a key makeup look for spring and summer. For the spring shoot, they focused on neutral and warm tones for a sun kissed look, with unstructured eyes and soft, fluffy brows. Whereas, for summer the makeup was slightly stronger with a slight smoky eye, whilst still keeping everything soft and natural. Grace and Christina stressed the importance of correctly prepping and moisturising the skin before applying makeup to avoid any breakouts or unhappy skin. Tinted moisturiser is also making a comeback this spring and summer, with a more sheer and natural base becoming more desirable.
The Models
The British Style Collective campaign shoot included 4 models; local Liverpool lad Christian Williams, Rachel Bowler, Annabeth Murphy-Thomas, and Mia O’Grady. Rachel and Christian took part in the December Clothes Show in Birmingham, and Mia was scouted at a Clothes Show event a few years ago, which is how they find a lot of their models. TV personalities Vernon Kay and Holly Willoughby were also discovered the same way. We spoke to Christian and Rachel about their involvement in British Style Collective and the new location. Christian is particularly excited about the relocation to his hometown, as it means that his Nan is now able to come and see him walk the catwalk for the first time. Rachel has been coming to The Clothes Show as a spectator since she was 13, and stressed that she was especially enthusiastic about this year, as curve fashion has been emphasised more, and body diversity has been embraced which she believes to be really important.
