Essex Fashion Week

As I walked through the grounds of Woolston Manor, Chigwell, towards the marquee situated in the country club’s car park, I envisioned girls in stilettos, fake tan, diamantes, designer handbags and Christian Louboutins.

My image was not far off.

It is Saturday 29^th October and I am attending the second Essex Fashion Week event of the year hosted by PR Company, FourteenInc.

The winter show welcomes guests from around the country including celebrities such as X-Factor’s Essex contestants ‘Two Shoes’, who were voted out in the early weeks of the live shows.

When I ask who they got along with most in the X Factor house, they say: “Johnny is so lovely”.

The duo also inform me that they are in regular contact with Tulisa who had been an amazing mentor on the show.

They say they frequently give her a ‘bbm’, as you do.

Two Shoes are not the only celebrities that I brush arms with today though.

At the event are The Only Way Is Essex stars too, Chloe Sims, Frankie Essex and Nicola Goodger, all looking glamorous and very tiny to say the least.

Originally I had planned to attend the event to admire the Essex ‘couture’, if you can call it that, but it is not until Loose Women’s Carol Mcgiffin sits next to me that I realise being surrounded by a collection of celebrities is not so bad either.

Admittedly, being a big fan of Loose Women, I become a little star-struck at the concept of Miss Mcgiffin sitting right next to me but I am here as a professional, as a trainee journalist so I keep my cool, after asking for a photograph with her that is.

I could get used to this.

Nicola Goodger from TOWIE is at the event promoting her new range of clothes ‘Nicola G’ which only launched this month.

Her sister and work colleague, Lauren Goodger describes her quirky designs as "a unique and artistic mix of affordable t-shirts with slogans of fun, quirky sentiments about life.”

The event kicks off at 2pm, with guests standing at the sidelines admiring the stars, edging slowly to get closer to them, hoping to get a picture, whilst the press were busy trying to hunt them down for interviews.

It is at this stage that I decide to tuck into the free popcorn that I have been given in my goodie bag before the show starts.

Being surrounded by size 6 models probably should have put me off but needless to say it did not.

Upon opening the show, managers of FourteenInc, twin brothers Simon and Adam, from Ongar, say: “Essex Fashion Week has set a trend all over the country and one thing we are going to do today is keep it Essex.”

Could we have expected any less?

Music is played by four different local DJ’s throughout the day and a rendition of ‘Don’t Go’ by Wretch 32 featuring Josh Kumra is sung by Chris Lynch.

Lucy, 23, and Louis, 24, of Thurrock, say: “They love everything about fashion, especially a good bargain and the Essex Fashion Week is a way of checking out the stars and the latest trends in the area.”

These had been my thoughts exactly.

There are ten local designers promoting their clothing ranges and accessories but ‘Francesca’s Boutique’, based in Hornchurch, is one of the most popular designers of the day with the ladies.

For men, ‘Brighterman’, an accessories store based in Benfleet, proves to be a hit with the male members of the audience, with models boasting a wide collection of sunglasses, bags and bow-ties which were also a hit at London Fashion Week which took place earlier this month in Soho.

Freeport, in Braintree, also have models showing off designs from their stores to help promote the outlet village and the latest online fashion sensation, boohoo.com have clothing appearing here.

Amy and Sophie from Buckhurst Hill say: “We’re here just to check out the fashion and to see a few Z-listers, or A-listers, depending on what you’d like to call them”.

The renowned brand, Kandi, who is backed by TOWIE stars, show off brightly coloured velour tracksuits, which has traditionally represented Essex for the past decade.

This range is available to buy from Minnies Boutique which frequently features in the TOWIE series, based in Brentwood High Street.

Cascal, from Leigh-On-Sea, says: “I love high-street shops like topshop and H&M so the Essex Fashion Week is a good place to come and see a range of locally designed clothes with a reasonable price tag.”

Animal prints and jewellery are a big craze on the catwalk today and have become the main fashion in Essex since Joey Essex held his Ibizaesque Zoo Project party in a TOWIE episode earlier in the current series. 

When I chat to the event co-ordinator Simon, I ask him to sum up Essex fashion in three words, in which he responded: “Fun, reem and style.”

Another EFW is set to take place in March 2012, which FourteenInc hope to hold over a period of seven days, an event which I can safely say is now pencilled in my diary.

It is an excuse to mix with the stars, have a few alcoholic beverages and check out the ‘reem’ fashion after all, a day out which I would recommend to all. 

Hints were given about the location of the next event and a disused car showroom is apparently on the cards to help attract passer-bys.

Nothing too flashy, revealing or attention grabbing, it is only Essex after all.

All proceeds raised from EFW will be sent to various charities of FourteenInc’s choice.