Portobello and Golborne Road markets will be transformed into an open-air catwalk by prowling models showcasing autumn/winter 2012 menswear, womenswear, accessories and jewellery borrowed from market stalls and local shops on Saturday 22 September 2012 between 11am and 4pm.
Drawing attention to the market’s longstanding place as a source of inspiration for designers like Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood, and celebrating its role as a fashion talent incubator, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Portobello and Golborne Management Committee (PGMC) have commissioned an event as unique and diverse as the market itself: FLASH Fashion.
Timed to coincide with London Fashion Week, FLASH Fashion will be a lively and unpredictable ‘flash’ presentation, with models emerging from crowds of visitors to interact with traders and members of the public, and have their photographs taken by volunteer paparazzi. Among other locations, they will wander through Acklam Village Market and the Portobello Green Arcade. Photo backdrops will include the famous Blue Door from the film ‘Notting Hill’ and the iconic Grade II* listed Trellick Tower. The models will converge on Portobello Square at 2pm to become part of live window displays reflecting the season’s main fashion trends.
Items borrowed from shops and stalls will include a range of new, vintage, bespoke, second hand, upcycled, ethical, fair trade, one-off, mass-produced, British-made, and imported clothing and accessories. Real people will be cast as models, reflecting a range of body types, ages and backgrounds to reinforce the themes of diversity and inclusiveness.
The celebration will include a fashion film day at the Portobello Pop-Up Digital Microplex Cinema (program details will be announced after 6 September).
To complement the event, an online Portobello Look Photo Challenge is being organised on Facebook and Flickr (flickr.com/groups/flashfashion). The deadline for submissions is 8 September. Finalists will be announced on Saturday 15 September and their work exhibited in Portobello market during the event, with shopkeepers, stallholders and members of the public invited to vote for their favourite until 3pm. Three winners will be announced at 3.30pm and will receive prizes donated by local businesses.
FLASH Fashion’s Project Coordinator is 23-year-old Ceyda Sezer of North Kensington, who is participating in the Council’s Graduate Work Experience Scheme. A model herself, Ceyda has said: “conceiving and managing such a groundbreaking and ambitious event has been an incredible opportunity for me. Collaborating with the local retail community and capturing the diversity of Portobello and Golborne has been both challenging and exciting, but also seems essential for a market where fashion is so ingrained in the history and culture.”
Councillor Nick Paget-Brown, Deputy Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said: “Portobello and Golborne markets are much more than fantastic places to shop. They have a special atmosphere and spirit that reflect our community and attract visitors from across the world.
“We know that editors, photographers and models visit Portobello and Golborne Road market during London Fashion Week to get inspired, spot trends, and even do a bit of bargain hunting. I am sure that FLASH Fashion will capture the independent spirit and distinctive character of our markets perfectly.”
