The Basildon Fashion Awards are fast approaching and the finalists have been announced.
The event organised by South Essex College brings together the future talent of the fashion world, encouraging young designers to show their creations in a public place. The head judge, Joey Bevan, is a former South Essex College student who has gone on to forge a career as a celebrity stylist and fashion designer.
A competition was set for local school students to design an outfit with the winner receiving a £250 Eastgate Centre voucher. The competition brief entitled ‘What goes around, comes around’ let school students focus their designs on either the decadent 1920’s, the swinging 60’s or the power dressing 80’s.
The three finalists are Kathryn Snow, 14, from Greensward Academy in Hockley, Tallulah Pickering, 13, from Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea and Georgia Gonzalez, 15, from Cornelius Vermuyden School in Canvey Island.
Kathryn’s geometric dress draws influences from the 60’s with pops of bright colour. Tallulah’s sophisticated long frock references silhouettes from the 20’s with a modern twist on patterns while Georgia’s polka dot creation screams 1980’s featuring classic shoulder pads from the era.
The top three outfits will walk the runway at the awards. The event takes place at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon on the evening of Tuesday 1 March. For more information about the awards, visit https://www.southessex.ac.uk/article/basildon-fashion-awards-2016
Amy Woodman, 27, will be modelling at the awards. Originally from Barking but now living in Norwich, she has firm Essex routes and believes the Basildon Fashion Awards are a great outlet for young creatives.
She said: “It gives the designers of the future the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and ideas in a public arena. It must be a very rewarding experience for the students, to see their outfits being modelled and well received by an audience.”
Amy was scouted by Storm Models when she was 16 years old. She applied for Britain’s Next Top Model in 2010 and made it through to the reality TV show. She added: “I enjoyed the experience of being on television, the producers said I was selected due to my outgoing personality.
“I met Joey Bevan on the show and we’ve become really good friends. I have worked with him on numerous occasions and he asked me to model at the Basildon Fashion Awards last year, I was more than happy to return again for this year’s show.
“Joey is a lovely guy and has supported my career, providing me with networking opportunities to help build my industry contacts. I know Joey attended South Essex College so I feel privileged to model at this event which is very important to him.”
Last year Amy entered a Instagram competition to model in a Marc by Marc Jacobs campaign. Out of 110,000 applicants, she was one of the chosen few selected by the designer. She was flown to New York to meet Marc Jacobs and take part in the shoot, her images appeared on billboards worldwide! She’s also walked at both London and Paris fashion weeks.
Amy is excited to take part in the awards again. She said: “The brief ‘what goes around, comes around’ sounds like an fantastic fusion of past and present so I’m really looking forward to seeing the outfits and meeting the next generation of fashion designers.”