What is Norwich Fashion Week?
Norwich Fashion Week was created in 2010 to celebrate and promote the vibrant fashion scene in the city. It brings together Norwich’s nationally-recognised, independent retail offering, and the city’s thriving student fashion design community, plus professional practitioners in fashion and beauty.
The concept was brought to life by two small business owners, a fashion retailer and a restaurateur. Their energy and enthusiasm attracted support from two key local organisations, Archant and City College Norwich, and then from a host of independent businesses involved in fashion and beauty.
(Photo Credit – Andi Sapey)
NFW sets out to celebrate fashion by developing links between those studying fashion, customers who love fashion, and those working in the fashion sector. At its core, NFW has sought to focus on Norwich’s home-made talents and businesses which has created an edgy, ‘fringe’ and youthful trait to NFW. It also has a particular emphasis on developing opportunities to integrate vocational education into business, by providing experiential learning for students and a public platform to exhibit their skills.
The NFW formula has involved set-piece fashion shows, modelling competitions (with contracts for winners), visual merchandising, competitions, in-store fashion events, in-store designer events, a vintage fashion strand, hairdressing and make-up events, plus in-the-street activity such as fashion processions. Check out the NFW Gallery for all the fashion footage!
NFW enjoys extensive media coverage, led by The Norwich Resident magazine, and including press, TV, radio, online, blogs and promotion across the city by the participants themselves.
The Norwich Fashion Week Organising Committee includes several organisations which are actively involved in helping to deliver and shape NFW. Check out our Sponsors page for current supporters and feel free to contact us if you’re interested in receiving more information on how to become a sponsor.
Everyone can Get Involved!
The more events held, the more we can help to promote Norwich as a top fashion destination. If you have an idea, or are just keen to be part of it in some way, we’d love to hear from you. This is a great week to showcase your business in Norwich on the NFW runway and businesses of all sizes get involved with the event by offering discounts, special shopping events, services or promotions, workshops, studio events, fashion presentations…the opportunities are there to be explored and shared!
The future of Norwich Fashion Week…
Fashion education is key to NFW and two of Norwich’s premier academic establishments City College Norwich and Norwich University of the Arts are also supporting NFW to celebrate and strengthen fashion and education links. We’re really proud of the creativity Norwich has to offer, and this is not only a great opportunity to showcase emerging talent, but a great way to inspire future talent too.
It’s important to note that to celebrate the history of fashion and explore Norwich’s fashion and textile heritage we have several other events lined-up throughout the week. Keep your eyes peeled!
Join in with the NFW conversation on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
