An explosion of fashion, theatre and insider know-how explodes into Earls Court this Friday with the arrival of the second ever Clothes Show Live London. For three days from the 25th until the 27th June, fashion devotees will have their appetites sated by the usual heady mix of clothing, accessories, catwalk shows and celeb spotting, and can overdose on expert hints and tips until their fashionable hearts are content.

Although the Clothes Show Live itself is an ageing stalwart entering its 22nd year, the London show is a mere baby, having only dipped its Southern feet into the water for the first time last year. Geared to appeal to the louder, more cutting edge London crowd it was a huge success, attracting the great and the good of The Capital’s fashion savvy scene as well as some A-List celebs for extra cachet, such as the Style Awards Best Dressed Woman of the Year winner, Fearne Cotton. 
 

The Clothes Show Style Awards are set to be another crowning feature of this year’s event, with the newest silver fox on the scene, George Lamb, hosting. Paloma Faith, she with the penchant for fancy dress, will be performing an acoustic set during the show, and new talent will be recognised with awards dished out for Young Make-up Artist of the Year and Young Accessory Designer of the Year. Tickets for the Friday night awards are obviously a bit pricier than standard entry but with a red carpet, champagne reception and free goody bag I reckon £38 isn’t too high a price to pay to be a star for a night.
 

Standard day tickets are £26 and I would advise a Saturday visit, if only to see the aforementioned George Lamb doing a double act with dad Larry during the Fashion Theatre show. For anyone who has visited the Clothes Show before you will know that the fashion show is much more than clothes horses trotting down the runway in threads we can never afford. Called ‘Fashion Theatre’ for its elaborate mix of clothing, dancing and entertainment, it is more than worth 45 minutes of your shopping time to see this aesthetic extravaganza.
 

If physical beauty is your thing you might want to take a stroll over to the Corona Extra Designer Beach. With its very own bar, wooden promenade and resident D.J, if the beachwear catwalk show isn’t up to much, there’s always the lifeguards strolling around the swimwear shack. Another option for resting tired feet and shopping-bag-heavy arms is the champagne bar; perfect for a post Fashion Theatre gossip or to compare notes on any new purchases. With a gargantuan selection of well known brands, independents and newcomers, it’s unlikely anyone will go home empty handed. Be prepared though, the stalls can be an anxiety inducing melee, so if possible plan ahead and be ready to rummage.

Many a celeb has been spotted at the Clothes Show, including Holly Willoughby and Erin O’Connor. To help you get a glossy look that will get you noticed there are workshops going on at various points, like the live hair makeovers by Hair Magazine, which also incorporate interviews with well known stylists, such as Beverly C and GMTV’s Richard Ward. Of course, the Clothes Show is all about the clothes, so although there will be demos on the perfect tan, it’s the industry expert’s opinions on summer trends and what’s hot for autumn/winter 2010 that will no doubt prove the most popular. Presenter of the original Clothes Show TV programme, Caryn Franklin will be on hand with words of wisdom, as will Hilary Alexander, fashion director of The Telegraph. 
 

There’s not many better ways to wile away a weekend than immersed in fashion, so there’s no doubt London’s Earls Court will be bursting at the seams with stylish Southerners and trendy out-of-towners. Anyone who can’t make the journey can see the outfits from the Fashion Theatre showcased online after the event. And, if all this talk of a stylish day out is floating your boat but London is just one train ride too far, don’t worry; the Clothes Show at the NEC will be back in December. Which only begs one question, when are we going to get The Clothes Show Manchester?

For more information, visit the Clothes Show Live website.

Words by Emma Grainger.

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