THE UK’s largest celebration of sustainable living Festival of Thrift has kicked off in style with a sneak preview of its OxGlam Fashion Show, a journey through the eras of thread trends from 1825 to modern day unveiled at the Festival’s founding host site, Lingfield Point.
To launch this year’s Festival, which will also celebrate the 190th anniversary of the world’s first passenger steam train which travelled between Stockton and Darlington in 1825, the OxGlam team unveiled a selection of key outfits through the ages against the backdrop of the elegant Art Deco reception of Lingfield House to give festival-goers a flavour of what to expect from the show.
Lingfield House was chosen as the stunning backdrop to this unique photoshoot due to the glamour and sophistication of the building that matched the glamour of the costumes.
Sara Williams, Head of Marketing for Lingfield Point, said: “The Art Deco splendour of Lingfield House is a great example of upcycling at its best – it’s the jewel in the crown of Lingfield Point’s regeneration and is now home to 20 businesses that benefit from a level of service that harks back to the glamour of a bygone era – with state of the art facilities and fibre optic connectivity installed in grand surroundings – it was a wonderful way of recapturing a moment in time in Darlington’s history.”
OxGlam will make its return to founding host site, Lingfield Point, in Darlington later this month as the award-winning Festival of Thrift opens its doors for its third year on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2015.
During the Festival the ‘Walk This Way’ OxGlam Fashion Show will showcase 12 thrifty outfits from key fashion periods over the last 190 years, created by Oxfam Jesmond, Oxfam Durham Boutique and Bookshop, and Oxfam Darlington using existing stock from the stores. The collection shows that by using clothes and accessories donated to North East Oxfam shops, wannabe fashionistas can create the most extraordinary outfits without breaking the bank.
Oxfam Jesmond’s Jon Christian said: “From a 1900s ensemble inspired by the suffragette movement to a 1940s androgynous Garbo style outfit and a 1960s Woodstock denim jumpsuit look, we wanted this year’s OxGlam Fashion Show to create a journey that would take people through each decade since the birth of the first passenger steam train.
“The collection we have created showcases the wonderful hidden gems that can be found in the three participating Oxfam stores and how easy it can be to create a unique look without it costing the earth.
“Those visiting the Festival should make sure they’re wearing their most dapper outfit, as we’ll be looking for the best dressed thrifters and inviting them to take to the stage as part of the OxGlam Fashion Show.”
Festival director Stella Hall added: “As part of the 2015 Festival, we’re excited to play a central role in Darlington’s 1825 celebrations and the OxGlam team has come on board and created a fantastic collection to commemorate this historic milestone – giving us the perfect platform to showcase a sneak peek of what we have in store for visitors this year.
“We have developed an extraordinary programme for this year’s Festival which is bursting at the seams with thrifty activities and amazing artists.
“Thrift is more than a trend – it’s here to stay; it’s a culture and a set of values to live by and OxGlam truly does reinforce this. The Festival is certainly helping to get thrift engrained into the lives of people across the North East of England and beyond. Our thrifters are a community and the Festival is a great opportunity for them to get together and share what they do, while enjoying great entertainment and a free weekend of frugal fun.”
Festival of Thrift, which received the Arts and Culture award at the Observer Ethical Awards 2015, aims to show people how reusing, recycling and upcycling can be fun, save money and benefit the environment.
This year’s Festival will bring together nationally known scrimpers, leading and emerging artists and musicians amongst special installations, demonstrations, talks, workshops and stalls offering upcycled, recycled, sustainable and of course thrifty goods to help communities towards a happier, more sustainable way of living. In addition to OxGlam, the three North East Oxfam stores will also be hosting the Festival’s popular Swapshop, a thrift shop market, big book sale and @rewind_retro at Festival of Thrift 2015.
To get in the mood visitors can come along to the launch event at 5pm on Friday 25 September 2015 in Market Square, Darlington. To the accompaniment of ceilidh and hip hop music from Folk Dance Remixed, the launch event will feature a five-storey Darlington train station clock tower built by French artist Olivier Grossetête and volunteers made entirely from cardboard. There’s a chance to help build it too.
For more information on Festival of Thrift 2015 and its programme visit the website at www.festivalofthrift.co.uk. For further details on OxGlam follow @oxglam on Twitter.