This Weekend: The Good Clothes Show

Is guilt-free shopping a thing in an age of fast fashion and greenwashing? It can be, according to The Good Clothes Show. This new event is set to put eco-conscious habits at the forefront of how we shop, with a line-up of talks, workshop and curated shopping experiences highlighting the positive spaces within the industry.

The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide

The Good Clothes Show: What To Expect

What Is The Good Clothes Show?

The Good Clothes Show is a new event celebrating circular fashion. Taking place this autumn, the three-day event will showcase pre-loved and vintage clothing selections alongside independent labels, customisers, menders and makers of customised pieces.

Focusing on three key pillars – swapping, donating and upcycling – The Good Clothes Show aims to present alternative ways to shop fashion and give life to ‘The Circular Machine’. To bring these tenets to life, the event has partnered with Global Fashion Exchange, The Big Swap Events, Smart Works and White Rose ‘to deliver a full circle system’ under one roof.

When & Where Is It?

The Good Clothes Show takes place from 20 to 22 September 2024 at the NEC Birmingham.

Show Highlights

Main Stage

The hub of The Good Clothes Show will be the main stage, which will play host to a line-up of talks, panels and discussions led by industry veterans and change-makers. Hosted by TV presenter and fashion influencer Annaliese Dayes, the line-up features the likes of:

• Roberta Lee of Channel 4’s New Model Agency
• Lucy Norris of Second Hand Styling
• Alex Standley of Luxe Leopard Lifestyle

There will also be a live recording of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast, hosted by former Vogue Australia editor Clare Press, and a special talk from Fashion for Good founder Tiffanie Darke. Other names taking part in workshops and panels over the weekend include Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant, climate activist Tori Tsui and podcaster and blogger Emma Slade Edmonson.

You can see the full list of speakers here.

REMAKE Studio

Fancy putting your sewing skills to the test? You can try your hand at repairing and upcycling garments under the guidance of Great British Sewing Bee alum, Mercedes Ferrari Plumridge and Jen Hogg. ‘[They] will be at The Good Clothes Show to help you master the basics to upcycle, alter and repair the pieces in your wardrobe so you can love them and use them longer,’ explains the show’s website. ‘Learn from the pros in our exclusive REMAKE studio featuring state of the art Janome machines, sustainable Madeira threads and some the most talented artisans in the UK.’

Learn more here.

RESTYLE Lounge

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to get a TV-style makeover, now’s your chance. The RESTYLE Lounge will give visitors the chance to try a sustainable style makeover and colour experience, as well as join style talks held by industry experts.

The current line-up at the lounge includes Roberta Lee, style expert and founder of Ethical Brand Directory, Alex Standley, award-winning personal stylist, and Lucy Norris, a creative consultant with over 15 years of experience in television hosting and fashion expertise.

Learn more here.

Shopping

Amongst the busy schedule of events, there will be plenty of opportunity to dip into the throng of shoppers. Discover a huge community of vintage, pre-loved, upcycled and conscious vendors, which have been curated under one roof to allow for easy navigation.

The Swap Shop

Visitors to the event will also be able to bring in clothing items they no longer want, which can be dropped off at a central collection point in the event space. These garments will either be sorted for The Good Clothes Shop Swap Party, donated to Smart Works, an initiative that helps women re-enter the workforce, or sent to The White Rose, a charity that cleans, repairs and reworks pre-loved garments.

To get involved in the Swap Shop, all you need to do is bring five items to the check in and collection point (located outside Hall 3A). Each item accepted will give you a credit, which can be used as currency to then ‘buy’ other items at the swap. Full details of the event can be found here.

Model Search

Fancy walking the runway? The Good Clothes Show will be partnering with Select Model Management to launch a national model search competition, with the four winning entrants scheduled to feature in the show’s campaign. Two will also have the opportunity to win a year’s contract with Select Model Management.

One of the most prestigious agencies in the world, Select Model Management has a client list comprised of some of the biggest names in the industry. It currently represents the likes of David Gandy, Natasha Poly, Oliver Cheshire, Lucan Gillespie, Lulu Reynolds and Lottie Hayes.

How To Enter

There will be two open call castings:

• Friday 16 August at NEC Birmingham, Birmingham
• Tuesday 27 August at The Mills Fabrica, King’s Cross, London

All those interested in attending a casting need to pre-register here and book a time slot.

How To Book Tickets

General access tickets start from £16.50 and can be purchased at thegoodclothesshow.com

Featured image: Thom Bradley, Unsplash