The Tab take Liverpool Fashion Week

Life on the FROW


When Amanda Moss organised Childsplay Clothing Liverpool Fashion Week she said “people don’t have to go to London to find the best in the fashion industry, we have it right here in Liverpool.  Fashion shows should be accessible to everyone.”

Six years later, it is the biggest fashion event in the North, and we were given the opportunity to go and see what it was all about.

The first night kicked off at the Liner Hotel, so we donned our glad-rags and sashayed in.


We bagged ourselves front row seats and settled in to enjoy the show.  First up on Monday was Childsplay Clothing, who were sponsoring the week.  The collection featured a number of ensembles by established fashion houses like Armani and Dolce and Gabbana.

The real highlight of the first night was the collection by Diamonds are Forever.  Established only this year, this collection dazzled in more ways than one, combining a nautical theme with a more dark, medieval look.  Thinking of wearability, we thought the sparkling dresses and playsuits would’t look out of place in Concert Square on a busy Saturday night.

Day two was reserved for emerging designers, with Rachael Tsai stealing the show for us.  Her debut collection was inspired by a doll her Grandmother gave her as a child.  Combining a sporty aesthetic with gingham and pastel shades, Tsai’s looks were edgy, cute and vibrant all at the same time.

JMU Fashion Design grad Rachael thought the show went “better than expected” and expressed relief that the collection had gone down so well with the fashion conscious crowd.

Another emerging designer who caught our eye is Wirral based Tayamika, who’s collection has been getting rave reviews as far away as Zimbabwe.

She combined traditional African prints with modern silhouettes, more suited to a day at Aintree with a complimenting hair fascinator.

Days three saw the event change venues to the Marina Bar and Grill for a day of workshops about working in the fashion industry.

The workshops proved that fashion is not a shallow industry, as did Moss’s conscious decision to use models of all sizes. In a short interview that played between catwalks she talked about her commitment to ensuring that Liverpool Fashion Week catered to all.

We spent a week feeling like Liverpool’s answer to Anna Wintour and Andre Leon Talley, sat on the FROW with goodie bags at our feet and £3.95 prosecco in our hands.  We loved Fashion Week and the message it delivered.