Cambridge Style Week!

I am very excited to have been asked to DJ for Cambridge Style Week this year, from the 26th - 30th March.  I love stepping off the train in Cambridge station, a joy I get less and less nowadays since I moved away a year ago. Because of this, I was already in high spirits when I found myself thrown in at the deep end at a CSW meet up last week end, pitching in with some frantic practice dressing of models and plotting out a practice catwalk! The CSW team are boldly attempting to showcase and represent a wide array of local retailers and independent boutiques across the course of the week, and I can't wait to be a part of it.

Measuring the models!

If Cambridge were to be a person, I imagine her to be a quirky and confident lady, who loves experimenting with a range of vibrant colours, enjoys her red wine, and embarks on the occasional bohemian inspired adventure. It's no secret that the city itself certainly has it's own unique, fabulous style of its very own. Cambridge dwellers seem to be quite confident with experimenting and mixing their trends, translating them in a seemingly effortless way into everyday life. Perhaps its the comfort of relative affluence, the increased number of fashion graduates, or the diverse range of cultures that contribute to the unique trends that Cambridge seems to produce, but the outcome is eclectic nonetheless! 'The Cambridge Satchel Company' is a great example of this - a small family owned business in a village close to Cambridge, who manufactured a bag inspired by Cambridge living that became an international craze.

Cambridge Satchel

My own experiences living in Cambridge, in many ways, opened my eyes to my own love of fashion. I organised a show in 2009 called 'The Four Seasons Fashion Show' at local arts venue 'The Junction', which expanded my knowledge of the industry and various artists and designers. The show was an exploration of sustainable fashion, with a decon-recon approach to using clothes and materials. It went so well that the year after, we all became more ambitious - and created a 'Cambridge Fashion Weekend', working with local designers to create collections representing the 1940's to the 1980's. We incorporated playful modern twists and vintage pieces from local boutiques, and had dance acts, a swing band, singers and performers that set the scene for each collection, to move the audience through various eras. It was absolutely incredible, and I got a real buzz that you only get when you realise that somehow you've blagged it and convinced someone to pay you to do something that you really love anyway. I loved the quirky pieces that our talented designers created, and the support that we got from various London Fashion Week designers, who sent us clothes, donated pieces for the charity auction and spoke at the shows. We raised over £3000 for charity, and I was very proud of our achievements.

It was these experiences which led me to CSW, and such memories which now fill me with a familiar bubbling of anticipation. It is a different experience, watching a fashion show, when you are acutely aware of the mania that is happening behind the scenes. The calm ocean you witness whilst the models strut their stuff on stage, completely juxtaposes against their state of being five seconds before, whilst they were amongst the crazy panic of hairstylists, backstage staff, models and make up artists just behind the curtain. I truly enjoy the panic, the 'I've got to go on stage and I only have one shoe!' scenarios, the buzz when the show is starting and ending - I love it all. The team for CSW are so professional, and truly dedicated to producing shows that will not only reflect the great style that Cambridge offers, but also represent a range of styles, shapes and ages that live there. In this way, they are representing the true beautiful stylish qualities of Cambridge and its people, and the vibrant diverse mix of individuals within one of my favourite cities in the world.

Kim, Backstage Manager, and Izzy, Assistant Creative Director of CSW

If you'd like to join us, you can! To buy tickets, follow the link here, and check out the different themes across the week. Personally, I am most looking forward to the 'Celebration of Spring' on Saturday 29th because it truly is my favourite season. 'The Celebration of Colour' as an opening show is a great theme to start with too, and looks to be a vibrant visual showcase that will finally banish winter for good. The closing show is at Hidden Rooms on the 30th, so you can always come down and experience the buzz and atmosphere that only the end of a week filled with incredible style and exciting people can bring!

Are you a catwalk fan, too? What do you love most about fashion shows? I'd love to hear from you!

Much love, Alice x