In May and June this year, The Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar is hosting a very exciting fashion project in conjunction with the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010. Fifteen participants will each work on re-fashioning or ‘upstyling’ an outfit from one of Castlebar’s Charity Retail Outlets – all under the expert guidance of an artist.
“It’s all about combining creativity and thriftiness to produce fabulously stylish outfits,” said Katy Newman, one of the three textile artists delivering the five workshops that make up the backbone of the project.
“It’s also fantastic to know that in the process we’re supporting organisations who do wonderful work in tackling poverty and social exclusion, such as St Vincent de Paul, Enable Ireland and Oxfam,” she added.
The participants will learn also learn about the basics of deportment and modelling from expert Orla Sexton.
The whole project will culminate in fittingly glamorous style on the night of Thursday, June 10, when the brave 15 will model the outfits they have created at the Walk Tall Fashion Show extravaganza in The Linenhall’s Theatre Space. In a real coup for the organisers, the show will be introduced by acclaimed Galway-born composer, singer, and sometimes fashion model Julie Feeney.
Renowned for her stirring and spellbindingly elegant performances, Feeney’s award-winning video for ‘Impossibly Beautiful’ won Best Styled Music Video at the IMTV awards in 2009. The song is from her second album, ‘Pages’, which, when released in June last year was hailed as a masterpiece and nominated for the Irish Album of the Year 2009 prize in the Choice Awards.
This year has been designated European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. With almost 80 million people living in poverty in the EU, the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion aims to raise public awareness of poverty and social exclusion in Europe and convey the message that poverty and exclusion are obstacles to social and economic development.
Participants in the Walk Tall Fashion Project have been nominated by Mayo Travellers Support Group, Mayo Intercultural Action and Castlebar Neighbourhood Youth. It is hoped that through taking part in this project they will develop, or build upon, their skills in design, sewing, needle work and deportment; boost their self esteem; and seize the opportunity to literally walk tall and proudly stand in the spotlight in their local community.
Castlebar hairdressers and beauticians have been hugely supportive of the project and the following are to be commended for offering their services free of charge for the fashion show: Eclipse Hair Salon, Suay Hair and Beauty, Y2 Kutz, Regina Livingstone Hair Design, Beauty by Joan, Vanilla Beauty Salon and Pauline Cawley Beauty Clinic.
“We were blown away by the generosity and goodwill shown by members of our local community towards this project, and now we’re really looking forward to what promises to be a fabulous night of fun and glitz on June 10,” remarked Orla Henihan, Arts Access Officer at the Linenhall Arts Centre.
For anyone interested in fashion innovation and equality in society, Walk Tall promises to be a wonderful opportunity to show your support for new talent in an inclusive, postive environment. For more information, contact The Linenhall on 094 9023733.
