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What it's all about

DURHAM ROCKS FASHION are pleased to herald the imminent arrival of something more than just a fashion show - happening JUNE 2008. Cutting edge fashion from colleges around the UK combines with the hottest fashion houses, leading new designers and professional hair and make-up artists, against a backdrop of student artwork to provide a stunning visual extravaganza. This will be soundtracked by the best new and established bands and DJs in a very exciting musical line-up, also the evening will incorporate dance show interludes and pre- and post-show parties. We invite you to DURHAM ROCKS FASHION: a groundbreaking new event…

DURHAM ROCKS FASHION

/dynamic fashion
/stunning visuals
/exciting new bands

DURHAM ROCKS FASHION will be a unique charity fashion show,
presenting student designs to live rock music and urban dance.

///THE SHOW///
Inspired by the current national trend of “alternative” music and
fashion, this show promises to be an adventurous and eclectic event, and
will be a unique opportunity to display the creativity and innovation of
the current student body, both from within and outside of Durham
University. This venture will be the first of its kind, bringing
together the work of fashion students from the London College of
Fashion, Chelsea Arts College and Portsmouth University. The hair will
be done by professionals from TONI AND GUY and make up artists who work
for international cosmetics company SPACE:NK.

///THE MUSIC///
Live music will be provided by both signed and unsigned bands and DJ’s.
The music will accompany the modelling, and will be a combination of
original material and covers, adapted to suit the style of clothing. The
show will also involve dancers not only from the Durham City campus
(street dance and break dance from the Instep Dance Company), but also
the award-winning hip hop dance troupe, “The Legacy Crew” from the
Queen’s Campus, Stockton.

///THE CHARITY///
All profits from ticket sales will go directly to the Willow Foundation,
a charity that helps people with terminal illnesses between the ages of
16-40 and provides assistance for them and their families. As a
committee we are confident that due to the involvement of large numbers
of students from across the university, the show will have a wide
appeal, from “fashion rebels” to music enthusiasts, and should be a
guaranteed success.


///STUDENT INVOLVEMENT///
DURHAM ROCKS FASHION is open to all years and colleges and currently as
a great mix of students, from all three academic years. There are
currently thirty members in the Durham Rocks Fashion exec, as well as an
estimated thirty models (27 confirmed) and 20 dancers. Additional
students will be helping on the night of the actual show, which will
take place on June 11th.

///ADVERTISING///
There will be a serious amount of advertising involved in the show,
which will take place during the final academic term in the form of
posters/flyers/stash and publicity stunts.
Though it is important to note that there has already been a
considerable interest in the show; we have already created a Facebook
group on the Internet which has amassed over 500 members.





How the aims are going to be achieved*
Work on advertising the show, which also enables artists from Durham University to work together on mini-projects through photoshoots, has already begun. A variety of models, photographers, filmmakers and make-up artists set up their own one-day project in order to capture the essence of DURHAM ROCKS FASHION using Durham City as a backdrop. Most of these shots, and the video, are currently in post-production. However, a montage of one of the photographers shots, Tom Bradley – a second year student from St.Chads College, from the day can be viewed on Youtube, by typing in ‘durham rocks fashion’. This video, in the 12 days it has been up on the website, has had 205 views.

The clothing for the show is being worked on by the designers, to great success, some of the clothes have been finished already and were used in the video shoot. Designers will be travelling up to Durham to have fittings with models and dancers from April through until the show in June. We are working closely with the designers, as this show gives them a chance to showcase their best work and have it publicised and advertised on a large scale, which is of maximum importance for these student designers.

DURHAM ROCKS FASHION is being worked upon by a team of, currently, 30 students, who are focusing on a variety of central tasks in order to make the show a success. These students are all giving their time and effort for free, with their hard work culminating in the show, which will give them working experience in producing a large charity event, a career area which interests a large number of our executive committee. The ability for these students to focus different sections of the show; fashion, music, art, securing designers and fashion houses, enables DURHAM ROCKS FASHION to support these students in their own career desires.

We are working closely with the charity the Willow Foundation to ensure maximum event potential is reached, in raising both awareness and money for this deserving fundraising organisation.

The show aims to fundraise money for the Willow Foundation, and projected funds from the event should reach in excess of £3,000-6,000. We plan to achieve this by using the money from ticket sales (300-350 x £10-£20), along with raising more money by using a silent auction; of student artwork used in the decoration of the show, various clothing pieces donated by designers and items given to the show by Durham based and national stores.

The show also places great importance on utilising local, national and international brands and stores, combining this with developing music talent, local and student artistry and keen involvement, DURHAM ROCKS FASHION promises to be a great success.

This event will gain University-wide publicity, with a focus also being given to the local and national press. We expect this event to completely capture the imagination of Durham students, and all those working within the event, as a means of creating an exciting, inventive show out of primarily student work, utilising the best talents Durham University and national Fashion Colleges have to offer, all the while raising money and awareness for a very worthy cause.

All photos are credited as follows:

Film stills: Alex Calverley
Photographs: Tom Bradley, Marc Pritchard, Jethro Turner, Tommy Clarke
Model: Rosie Campbell Adamson, Rosa Rankin-Gee, Andrew Niwagaba, Raoul Colville
Make-Up and Hair: Laura Baxter and Katie Service

What's needed to make it a reality

Flyers - For pigeon holes/street handouts/general DRF info(A6, full colour, 200gsm) 5000 = £171.00

Posters I - Posters, first wave; basic show info (A3, one colour & black,150gsm, with sealer) 50 = £49.20

Posters II - For the run up to the show and ticket sales, with more details about the show (A3, full colour, 200gsm, with sealer) 100 = £166.80

Tickets - For the actual show (A6, one colour & black, 300gsm) 300 = £24.10

Décor and design - We intend to purchase canvases for student artwork, which will be exhibited before and during the show, that would then be auctioned off for charity. We would also require money for the hire of various items of technical equipment, and the staging, most of which will be done at cost/generously for free though Durham Student Theatre. The costing for these items is yet to be confirmed, but expected to be around £100.

Fonteyn Ballroom - We have secured a grant for £1,000 to rent the space, but require another £250 to pay for the hire of the room.

Total - £761.10

We have already secured very generous grants from elsewhere, which have paid for the majority of the hire of the Fonteyn Ballroom in the Durham Students Union, and this money would enable us to take the first steps in properly advertising the show (rather than only online) and would enable us to fully promote DURHAM ROCKS FASHION as a viable event for companies to invest in/support. This would lead us to make the show a complete success, allowing the showcasing of student fashion, art and self-expression, whilst raising money for the Willow Foundation - supporting seriously ill young-adults, with the provision of 'special days'.