AFTER weeks of counting down, Oxford Fashion Week kicked off in style with a stunning show of luxury lingerie.

The autumn show – the second fashion week of the year – has already seen crowds flock to both the lingerie show and a high street collection show.

Now organisers are preparing to sign off in style this weekend with shows including a bird of paradise-inspired collection at the Oxford Museum of Natural History tomorrow.

Oxford Mail:

Director Carl Anglim

Director Carl Anglim said: “Our opening shows are always the ones that kickstarts the mood of the week but it’s the first time we’ve started with a lingerie show.

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“It went really well and was the first time it’s sold out in advance.

“This season we get to use some of the models for every show so they will be pros by tomorrow.

“It’s going to be a spectacular finale as we haven’t done anything as epic as that before.”

Oxford Mail:

Assistant director Tiffany Saunders 

Models were chosen after casting sessions, including the first one to be held at Oxford Brookes University.

There are usually 60 models who take part but this year there are only 20 men and women, who will be used in more shows to give them more experience in the field.

An opening party was held at The Varsity Club on Monday and more than 80 people attended the lingerie show at Malmaison hotel on Wednesday.

The black tie event was billed as the “most intimate” show of the week and exhibited seven designers, including Oxfordshire’s Jon Harris, Pure Chemistry and Silk Cocoon.

A team of models graced the catwalk in a small room lit up by camera flashes wearing various designs, including latex nightwear and a corset made out of copper.

Assistant director Tiffany Saunders, 24, who modelled at the show, said: “A lot of the pieces we had were corset-based and we had to be individually wired into it.

“It was a lot of work to get people in and out of them quickly but we have a fantastic team and it went very smoothly.”

Oxford Mail:

Models strut their stuff          

St Catherine’s College student Hannah Zainuddin, 20, modelled in the lingerie show for the second year running after auditioning in the casting sessions last year.

She said: “When I saw the copper corset I couldn’t say no. It was more comfortable last year because I was in a silk nighty.”

Oxford Mail:

Indroneel Chatterjee

Face of Oxford Indroneel Chatterjee, 24, said: “It’s all new for me because I haven’t done fashion modelling on this scale, so it feels like I’m on a course.

“It’s been an enriching learning experience and very exciting to take part.”


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