Manchester in Fashion, in association with Manchester Fashion Network, has unveiled plans to launch a talks programme to begin next month. The talks will include big guns Wayne Hemingway, David Mallon (The General Store), Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Manchester Arndale.

The events are split into two - In Fashion and Love Fashion. In Fashion is for people working in the fashion industry and includes events such as ‘Making it in Fashion journalism’, ‘Marketing yourself, your work and your brand’ and ‘Kick-start your success in world markets’. While Love Fashion is for anyone with a love of fashion and includes ‘Trends and tips for A/W 08′, ‘Vintage Style’ and ‘Make Do and Mend’.

To find out more about the events and to book online go to www.manchesterinfashion.com.

Free Tickets

And in addition to the above, we have two pairs of tickets to give away for two rather glam events that are invite only - ‘Behind the scenes at the department store’ and ‘Hemingway or the Highway’. The tickets are free to the first two people to email me with ‘Glam Tickets’ in the subject line.

If you’re in London over the weekend, don’t forget the following two events.

FaCshion

What: Two-day exhibition targeting both trade buyers and the general public
Where: The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London
When: Saturday 13 (13:30 – 18:00) and Sunday 14 September (12:00 – 18:00)
More Info: www.facshion.co.uk

Viens dans mon dressing

What: A unique shopping experience with 22 up and coming French designers and music
Where: The Dray Walk Gallery, off Brick Lane (next door to the Big Chill Bar), Liverpool St., London
When: Saturday 13th Sept (13.30 pm - 19.30 pm) and Sunday 14th Sept (10.30 am - 19.30 pm)
More Info: www.mademoisellelek.wordpress.com

The attack of the time-warp wives? No! It’s the return of Made In The Shade at The Lighthouse, Glasgow!

Innovative shopping event ‘Made In The Shade‘ launched at The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design & The City, on 24th May 2008. Attracting over 40 creative stallholders and over 2000 visitors, Glasgow’s discerning shoppers and handmade lovers embraced the arrival of this DIY style showcase and relished in the exclusivity of the handmade one-off.

Made In The Shade (a slang phrase, popular in the 1950s and synonymous with guaranteed success) returns to The Lighthouse this Autumn on Saturday 25th October. Due to demand from local designers and makers, organisers have increased the size of the Autumn and Winter events. Now taking place in both Gallery 5 and the Vitra Suite at The Lighthouse, Made In The Shade II will now play host to 50+ independent creative businesses from across the spectrum of crafty disciplines and from across Scotland.

Made In The Shade is organised by a small team of Glasgow-based independent business owners and creative entrepreneurs alongside The Lighthouse events team. The ethos of Made In The Shade is rooted in a commitment to promoting neo-craft, design talent and indie business. Organisers are devoted to nurturing the event as a DIY, grassroots enterprise. The team’s talents span numerous craft and design disciplines not to mention various business fields and the group has crafty connections with the creative networks such as The Lighthouse, the Creative Entrepreneurs Club and the Glasgow Craft Mafia. The group has already begun work on the Made In The Shade Festive shopping weekender!

What: Made In The Shade Market
When: Saturday 25th October 2008 | 10.30am - 5pm
Where: The Lighthouse, Mitchell Lane, Glasogow, G1 3NU
Admission: Free
More Info: Made In The Shade

PARIS FASHION SALE IN MUSIC COMING TO BRICKLANE!!!

Wish U Wel! presents
Viens dans mon dressing!

Come and discover 22 up and coming french designers!

Join us for a Unique Shopping Experience in Music!
with Esmeralda and Les Moches and VarOslaV

Saturday 13th Sept | 01.30 pm - 07.30 pm
Sunday 14th Sept | 10.30 am - 07.30 pm
The Dray Walk Gallery off Brick Lane Next door to the Big Chill Bar - Liverpool St.

£2.50 admission / purchases in cash only!

For more info contact: info@wishyouwell.biz

Visit: www.mademoisellelek.wordpress.com

Sustainable knitwear label Keep & Share have just announced details of their latest round of knitting workshops. At one special event held to celebrate National Knitting Week, participants can knit Keep & Share’s signature style, the Gladys Cardi, in a single weekend.

The Gladys Cardi has become a Keep & Share classic since its introduction in 2005, and the two-day course offers knitwear fans the chance to make their own cardigan (in a choice of sizes and colours) from start to finish. No knitting experience is required as Amy will guide participants through the making process, using her trusty chunky knitting machines and signature seamless joining techniques. The Sunday session finishes at lunchtime with a celebratory meal at the village pub.

The course runs at the Keep & Share workshop, just outside Hereford, on Saturday 11 October, 10am to 4.30pm, and Sunday 12 October, 10am to 1pm. It costs £135 per person, including materials, equipment, refreshments and lunches.

The ‘Knit your own Gladys Cardi’ course is just one of a series of events planned for the autumn. A beginners’ machine knitting course will run on August 23/24 and November 15/16, while those wishing to get busy with a pair of needles will be interested in a day course covering the basics of hand knitting on 6 September. Further events are planned for 2009, and bespoke knitting workshops for groups can also be arranged.

Details of all courses are available at www.keepandshare.co.uk.

Thank you to Dionne Swift of Host Studios for this guest blog post.

Huddersfield and its surrounding area is exceptionally fortunate to be home to a plethora of nationally respected creative talents, in a vast array of disciplines: jewellery, textiles, painting, sculpture, ceramics and furniture.

HOST is now in its fifth year and provides a unique opportunity to visit the artists in their own studios and workshops. You can watch them at work, see what inspires them, perhaps have a go yourself and get inspired!

It’s also an opportunity to buy work direct from the artist, and to chat to them about their thoughts and inspiration for your chosen piece of work. You could also commission a special piece to be made exclusively for you.

Fifty artists in 22 studios will be opening their doors for two weekends at the end of September. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to explore their private and personal spaces of spontaneity, innovation and deliberation.

If you would like to support HOST and benefit from invitations to VIP launch events and discounts from artists, log on to the website and register as a Friend of HOST for only £20 a year.

Saturday & Sunday 20 & 21 September 11am to 6pm
Saturday & Sunday 27 & 28 September 11 am to 6pm
Launch Parties at all venues Friday 19 September 6pm to 9pm

I managed to grab a few hours out of the office yesterday, to visit Design Show Liverpool. The show doesn’t close until tomorrow and if you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend it.

The exhibits cover three floors of the Contemporary Urban Centre and include fashion, glass, lighting, eco products, jewellery, accessories, homewares and furniture. The event is open to the public as well as to trade, allowing you to browse and buy from the very best in contemporary fashion and design.

The above is a selection of pics taken on the day:

1. Chris Weir - chris_weir_efc@hotmail.co.uk
2. Both Textiles
3. Kitty and Dude, http://kittyanddude.co.uk
4. Étoile Home, www.etoile-home.com
5. Zumo, www.zumosilk.com

And a few more.

6. Kirsty Doyle, www.kirsty-doyle.com
7. Kitty and Dude, http://kittyanddude.co.uk
8. Tatty Devine, www.tattydevine.com
9. Both Textiles
10. Chris Weir - chris_weir_efc@hotmail.co.uk
11. Melissa Simpson, www.melissa.uk.com

And last but not least.

People will Always Need Plates, www.peoplewillalwaysneedplates.co.uk.

The Best of Manchester is back. The annual competition that celebrates innovation in art, music and fashion is now open for entries.

Organised by Urbis, led by Peter Saville and judged by a panel of industry experts, the Best of Manchester spotlights the work of Manchester’s creative professionals. There is no age limit, no hype and no rules: just the best creative thinking by the best creatives working in Manchester today.

Anyone working in music, art and fashion – and who lives or works in Manchester - can enter. The prize? The chance to have work judged by a panel of industry experts, long-term professional development, a one-off cash prize and an exclusive exhibition at Urbis.

Deadline for entries: 30 June
Exhibition at Urbis: 8 August – 28 September

For more information visit www.urbis.org.uk/thebestofmanchester and http://bestofmanchester.wordpress.com