Fashion Show 2010 was a fantastic event, showcasing the work of the school and its partners, the Arcadia Group. Saint Bede’s involvement with the Arcadia Group began five years ago when the company offered to sponsor the school, enabling us to apply for specialist status as a Business and Enterprise College. As partners, we work together to provide a programme of activities for pupils and professional development opportunities for Arcadia staff.
The flagship event of the partnership is the Fashion Show, which takes place each summer. Preparation begins in May with 'Super Learning Day’ when the whole of Year 10 take part in activities geared around the retail fashion industry. The day, led entirely by staff from Miss Selfridge, allows the pupils to develop key enterprise skills and culminates in a competition for the best theme for the Fashion Show. Weeks of preparation and hard work follow with set design, catering, events management, marketing, sales, video editing and choreography all going into the mix to produce a spectacular show.
As part of the preparation, pupils in the Fashion Show Management Team also get to spend a day in store at Topshop/Topman in Preston. This day is always extremely popular with pupils as they get a real insight into how a successful high street brand operates and provides them with the opportunity to experience the retail business at firsthand. The project really helps bring Business and Enterprise to life for our pupils and gives them the opportunity to put into practice the skills and knowledge they learn in the classroom".
On the day of the show the Topshop/Topman and Miss Selfridge staff descend and, with the help of the pupils, turn the dining room into a satellite store. The rest of the day is given over to rehearsals and fittings. The evening explodes to the sound of music as pupils strut their stuff on the catwalk, modelling the latest trends straight from the high street. This year saw the addition of the 'Fashion Design Competition’ aimed at Years 7, 8 and 9. Sponsored by the Young Chamber of Commerce and run by the Saint Bede’s YC, the competition attracted twelve entries, all designed, made and modelled by pupils in lower school.
Special guest judge was Helen Stannard from Scream Theatre School in Blackpool & Manchester. Established in 1998, Scream have worked with thousands of children across the North West and have placed children in several ITV productions like Emmerdale and Coronation Street. Scream have also worked with The BBC, Paramount and the Disney Channel to name but a few industry leaders. With a gifted eye for talent, Scream Theatre School were also looking for acts to join the agency..The winner of the £100 prize was Abigail Yates with her wonderful fairytale creation.
This year, nearly one hundred pupils were involved in the show. In addition to the Year 10 Fashion Show Team and models, special thanks go to Mrs. McDermid and her catering team, the sound and lighting technicians, the choreography team, led by Steph Westray and Shaun Chard and to the 'roadies’ - they know who they are - for all their hard work.