Our recent BFC Project Photoshoot with Something New Wedding Specialists was a great day and they recently went to the 'I Do Wedding Fair' in Doncaster, which is a large exhibition here in South Yorkshire. Laura used the beautiful photographs on her stand for the fair, so we asked her about how they helped her at the fair and what advice she has.

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What does having professional product photographs do for your business?

'It was great to show the dresses actually on someone as they don't always show best hung on the hanger. They also made the promotional material look a lot more professional and eye-catching.'

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How did they help your stall at the 'I Do Wedding Fair', compared to not having them at previous events?

'They really stood out especially as they matched the dresses that were hung up to the side of them. At other fayres I've just used customer photos but there's something a bit more special about editorial shots.'

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What image and style were you portraying at the fair with your photos and displays?

'I wanted to aim for pastel rainbow shades to stand out, knowing I was going to be opposite a bridal stand. The photos portrayed a more up-to date look and showed that I try to follow trends rather than just being another wedding supplier.'

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What advice would you give other businesses standing at large exhibitions and events?

'Try to make it look as professional and eye-catching as possible. Having great shots of your product at work really can sell it.'

We will soon be showing you the finished edited photographs from the shoot, watch this space!

With David Bowie's recent passing away, there has been many tributes to him in all senses. Local illustrator Mel Elliot creates Adult colouring books and one of her most successful is full of David Bowie drawings. The Civic commissioned an exhibition for her illustrations to be blown up and have local artists, designers, graphic designers and more to 'colour-in' these images.

I had the great honour of being asked to create one of these images and with my textiles background, I chose to fill it in with fabrics and stitches. There are some amazing pictures here and definitely worth the visit. They can be seen on the top floor in the Panorama Gallery until 9th April.

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The Civic in the town centre have a great fashion exhibition currently on show. It is based around the First World War and how fashion has changed in both women's work and lives. All pieces have been commissioned by 1418-NOW and has come from the Manchester Gallery, all the way to Barnsley. They are a range of both designer pieces, such as Vivienne Westwood and Roksanda, and also university graduate pieces from Westminister, Salford and more. Some had a more literal sense of the theme whilst others had a more deeper meaning and focused more into one aspect. I really recommend visiting the exhibition to make your own opinions on it, but there's no doubt it's an extremely interesting visit.

You can find out more about the exhibition here.

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The Civic in the town center has a few fashion related exhibitions coming this weekend and all are a must-see! The first being 'Fashion & Freedom', based around the first world war as inspiration to leading fashion designers to create contemporary pieces. The second 'VS David Bowie' is about a local Illustrator who has challenged nearby designers and artists to colour in images of David Bowie drawings, as well as a Life Size Paper Doll workshop inspired by them. There will also be a Pop-Up Print Showcase from Barnsley College students.

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From Saturday 11th February, the exhibition 'Fashion & Freedom' will be showcasing fashion items from designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Holly Fulton, Roksanda, Emilia Wickstead and more. All inspired by how the First World War has impacted women's life and work and how fashion changed to accomodate that. This exhibition that was commissioned by 14-18 NOW has come from Manchester Art Gallery and is here until April 8th.

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'VS David Bowie' is an exhibition celebrating local Illustrator and Adult Colouring Book designer, Mel Elliot. One of her bestselling books was based on David Bowie images and The Civic has asked numerous local artists, designers, illustrators and creatives to 'colour-in' one of her many images in their own way. This exhibit is on 11th Febraury to 8th of April.



To go alongside both of the above exhibitions, there will be a life sized paper doll workshop on 22nd February & 15th February to create your own designs and have the fun of modelling them on the runway. You can book onto the workshops here www.barnsleycivic.co.uk/events/lifesize-paper-doll-workshop



In light of The Civic's upcoming Print Fair in July, they are showcasing some of Barnsley College's students print work from textiles, to lino prints, etching, screen printing and digital prints. Available for viewing from February 8th also.

Let us know what you think to all the exhibitions when you go and visit this weekend!

All photos belong to The Civic.

 

The first Barnsley Fashion Creatives project was back in October and it was a brilliant day with a brilliant team! We now can show you our favourite picks from the bunch, which we ended up with lots of usable photos for all who was involved. We worked with local designer Spirit Original Designs who creates clothing and accessories, make-up artist and hair stylist Nicola Whitfield, Photographer Kevin Hinchcliffe and our two models Sammi Scargill and Megan Pickering and shot our photos around the Barnsley Colliery and Jakto's Transportation yard. You can look back on our previous first project posts here:

BFC Project Brief #1

BFC Project #1 Updates

BFC Project: Profiling the Team

BFC Project: Behind The Scenes & How To’s

We are currently organising our second project for a bridal themed shoot with another local designer. You can read more about it here.

All of the below outfits are on sale and available for purchasing, you can visit Spirit Original Designs facebook page to enquire about any of the outfits, jewellery and leather bags. Visit www.facebook.com/Spirit-Original-Designs-170351533010366/?fref=ts

 

Sammi was one of our models, her favourites are:



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Nicola was our make-up artist and hair stylist for the shoot, here's her two favourites:

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'Fab team to work with, really enjoyed the day and everyone really mucked in and helped where needed. Trish was lovely and her designs are amazing, organisation by Hannah was done very well. Both models were amazing and I couldn't believe they hadn't modelled before as they both were really good and took direction brilliantly. Kevin did amazing with the photo's and my two favourite outfits were Sammi with the leaves and the pink & grey dress on Megan. Stunning, thanks team you were great.'

 

 

Here we have Megan's favourites who was one of our beautiful models:

[caption id="attachment_4164" align="aligncenter" width="500"] 'I really like how the coat drops on this photo, I think it shows off the waterfall effect really well.'[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4163" align="aligncenter" width="500"] 'I like how this photo showcases the variety of rings on offer at Spirit Original Designs. I also think it emphasises Nicola's skills with eye make-up, I like the choices she chose and this is complimented in Sam's skin tone really well.'[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4173" align="aligncenter" width="500"] 'I like this one showing Nicola hard at work. Out of the two looks I had, this was my favourite as it was a bit more grungey. I also like how you can see the glitter fading across the eyeshadow.'[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4177" align="aligncenter" width="500"] 'I really like the colours in this dress and Kevin has done a really good job with editing the photo and angling it to get the best possible effect for this outfit. I love how the dress has a roughed detailing to hide my wobbly bits, but the belt still shows off my figure. I also think Nicola has done a great job doing a subtle look with the make-up to not distract from the dramatic colours in the dress, yet still managed to create the wow factor with the hair.'[/caption]

Something New Wedding Specialists is an amazing local business that creates bridesmaids dresses, flower girls, as well as wedding decor, chair covers and so much more! This is our second Barnsley Fashion Creatives project and are planning to do a photoshoot of their beautiful bridesmaid dresses and flower girls. We are looking for some local businesses to help us out and a couple of models. This is an unpaid shoot but all involved will receive copies of the photos to use however you like. This is set to be on Monday the 20th of February and must be available all day.

If you are a local business that is also looking to connect with others in a fun project, get in touch with us to see how we can help you out.

The Brief By: Something New - Wedding Specialists (Website)

Location: TBC, will have both indoor & outdoor shots and will be in the Barnsley area

Date: Monday 20th February (Half Term Week)

Theme: Bridal Style, Fun, Happy Times, Colourful, Girly

Check this Pinterest Board for our Inspiration:

uk.pinterest.com/laurafletcher88/photoshoot-ideas

Models:

• 2x female models


• sizes 8-10


• Ages 21+


• Preferably 1 brunette and 1 blonde


• No previous experience necessary

Photographer:

• Previous wedding photography experience is beneficial


• To shoot in an outdoor and indoor location


• Wedding style themed shoot

 

If you would like to be put forward to be involved in this project, please use the contact form at the top or email directly to hannah456@hotmail.com with your information, any relevant experiences and links to any work (if applicable), quoting BFC Project.

The retail industry is a funny thing but we all know that after Christmas, many businesses have boxing day sales and end of year lines to move on. There's a lot of local businesses here in Barnsley that have some amazing offers and discounts currently on. Here's our list:



 

The Oh Sew Sweet Shop in Mapplewell & Wombwell is having a big sale on lots of fabrics starting on the 28th to the 30th December of up to 70% off. In both their stores, they have a massive range of fabrics and other sewing and craft supplies. See their website here ohsewsweetshop.co.uk

 



 

 

Chic-yCow are having a discount sale on their Etsy Shop for leather accessories, just input the code NEWYEARSALE at the checkout to receive 20% off for the next 2 weeks only. Here's the Etsy shop  www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ChicyCowDesigns



 

Elegance Bridal Studio based on Eastgate in the town centre are having a sample sale starting January 3rd to the 7th, appointments  must be made. Visit their website here www.elegancebridalstudio.co.uk

 



Moo Designs based inside the Lucorum Building in the town centre is having a big Christmas sale both in-store and online. Visit the website www.moo-designs.com

 



 

Pura Cosmetics, a local handmade natural lip care business is having some end of line reductions on their website here puracosmetics.co.uk

 

 


Many shops down the Victorian Arcade have started their sales as well, in the town centre!

 

 

Have I missed any? Let us know and we'll add them!

All pictures belong to each business.

Last week I purchased a beautiful choker necklace from Chic-yCow and did a product review of it just in case you were on the fence of buying from her. I was attending a wedding and needed a necklace to complete my outfit and knew I had to have a leather one in my life, so I approached them with my idea and it went from there. Check out their facebook page here www.facebook.com/chicycowdesigns/

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I asked about having a choker made but I wasn't sure what kind of style I wanted, so I searched through their Facebook photos for different styles they had done before to see what inspired me. I came across a bracelet that had a row of circles on it and that struck out to me as to what I could have on mine. We chatted back and forth about the technicalities, the sizes of these circles and also the colour as I was needing a turquoise colour but metallic and more a green-turquoise, so was a little tricky to get all the details straightened out. Once we were sorted, Jo of Chic-yCow began making it and sent me a photo the next day and it was perfect! Exactly how I'd imagined it.

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The necklace came in this sweet little box with some soft wadding and the Chic-yCow branding, packaged up simply to show off the necklace. I know that if I saw this necklace in the shop, presented this same way, I'd still buy it! Beautiful items like this don't need to be overly packaged and presented, just straight forward simplicity.

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Wearing the choker was super comfortable, I sometimes get aggravated when I have things around my neck and feels itchy, but not this! The circles were on a soft black leather strap with the suede side touching my neck so it was nice and soft, not once during the night I felt itchy or overly aware that I had something round my neck.

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The cost for this necklace was £20, which for a customised commissioned piece I expected it to be more so I was pleasantly surprised at the cost. I really cannot wait to wear this again as I think it would definitely suit plenty more outfits. I highly recommend Chic-yCow, from the customer service, packaging the item, quality of it and the cost all come round to the conclusion that I'll be back ordering more!

All photos belong to Barnsley Fashion Creatives.

Klue Doll is the new klue by kellyann, we had a chat with her all about why she's changing her business' name and branding and what she suggests to others about finding your brand and what you can do. See her Facebook page here.

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BFC: Why did you decide to change the name of your clothing business?

Kellyann: There isn't a dramatic story of why I'm changing, I just feel as my business has grown and now my focus if primarily on bridal & occasion wear, Klue doll just seems like a natural progression for me, it's a name I refer too often when describing my clients, my style and my way of drawing illustrations as well. The new launch is the start of many changes with KLUE by Kelly-Ann will still be around but more of a sister brand featured on my website.

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BFC: What other changes are you making to your business, other than a new logo?

Kellyann: Within the next month I will have a lovely new website and I will be opening my first online shop where clients can order anything from bridesmaid dresses, that one off night out outfit and children's wear. I am also working on a collection of Team Bride accessories for hen parties and wedding essentials such as personalized dressing gowns, t-shirts and much more. And finally I'm planning on attending some wedding shows in 2017 so very exciting times ahead.

BFC: What impact does a good business name and strong branding have? And what does 'branding' mean?

Creating a brand identity is giving people a sense of who the brand are and what they represent. Your brand is telling a story of your style and the products your going to create. I feel that having a name that stands out or is memorable is very important not only so people remember it but also so when your name is searched on google or any social media platform it's easily found. Strong branding makes it so the customer can easily recognize your work and the more cohesive your branding, the more professional it comes across. Fashion is ever evolving so change is inevitable but as long as you have a strong brand signature it will still be recognisable to the clients that it's your brand. Here's an infographic I liked about brand identity.



BFC: How did you decide on this typography and style for your new logo?

Kellyann: I wanted something that was a bit industrial/chic looking that was bold lettering but had a hand drawn look so when I found this I was in love! I created a foil effect myself to get the perfect copper, metallic shade. Combining foil colours like copper and gold against a white and gray marble is something I'm really loving at the moment and something that blends well with all the different elements to klue from Bridal wear, women's fashion and children's wear.



BFC: How did you find your new brand identity and style? Did it just happen organically or did you just decide on the new changes?

Kellyann: I moved house a year ago so I've been doing a lot of interior design so my love of copper has been my major love for 2016. So naturally while I've been pulling together ideas and it's been things I love and I'm sure many other people are obsessed with at the moment.

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BFC: Your doing a Facebook competition to raise awareness of the new branding, right? So what else are you hoping to achieve from it?

Kellyann: Yes I'm doing it to make a bit of a 'ta darr' moment of the new name and look but I'm also doing it to say thank you to all my clients old and new for the ever-growing support.

Here are the 3 dresses I will be giving away, Dress 1 is a fitted black dress with ruffle hem, razor neckline and a portrait back cut out. Dress 2 has a slash neck, high low swing dress with contrast V panel detailing. And dress 3 is a Ruby red statement dress, full sheer mesh bodice and sleeves with textured lace detail over the bust, V-waist seam, fitted mermaid skirt with extra full train and key hole exposed back. This dress will be tailored to fit the winner. You can enter the facebook competition here!

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BFC: How would you advise other people on finding their business' brand and style?

Kellyann: I think with fashion especially its personal style, what you want to portray, what best reflects the style of clothing you make and sell. And if in doubt there is Pinterest and hiring a professional. But for many years I kept to a clean black and white look which will stand the test of time and always look chic.

BFC: What other ways can people do to raise awareness of their business' branding on social media?

Kellyann: Doing professional photoshoots not only do you get amazing images to promote your work but you also get to connect with other creatives. Contacting bloggers, vloggers and online influencers can elevate your brand and it goes without saying but promote all your work across all social media platforms.

As we progress through the details of planning the first Barnsley Fashion Creatives project with Spirit Original Designs, I'm getting more and more excited! The main updates since we first released the brief are that we have two confirmed models with a possible third, we have a photographer sorted and make-up and hair are all good to go. We almost had our location confirmed but we've had to find another place due to the last one pulling out but hey, these things happen. This is why we do all this planning and prepping before the day to make sure the photoshoot runs the smoothest possible for us to get the most photographs from it.

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We had a fitting with the two confirmed models, Sarah & Sammi, which was a lot of fun. The reason for doing fittings ensures that your clothes will definitely fit them, but it also helps to figure out what colours and styles suit them so that on the day you have a good idea of what other items would look great without wasting time.

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We also got to play about with some styling options like adding some Spirit Original Designs jewellery and handbags and mixing with cape ponchos and neck wraps, making sure we can make a complete outfit that customers could wear themselves.

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If you have a project in mind that you'd like to do but not sure how to do it, let us give you a helping hand and find the people you need to connect with and get the project off the ground. All we ask in return is to be able to share the project on our blog and social medias, that's it! Drop us an email using the contact form.

We have our first Barnsley Fashion Creatives project! We have been in touch with Trish Evans from Spirit Original Designs who would like to do a photoshoot of her clothing and accessories and is looking for other locals to participate. Here is the run down of the brief with subject to changes as more details are confirmed.

At Barnsley Fashion Creatives, our main aim is to get people connected in Barnsley to work together and help each other out to further enhance our experiences and business. If you have a project in mind and not sure where to go with it, we can help. We can get in touch with the right people to get what you need, find suitable locations and help get it all organised. Feel free to enquire about your project.

Brief by: Spirit Original Designs

Proposed Location: Spring bank Farm (waiting on confirmation)

Date: October

Theme: Rustic, old, quirky, historical, woods

Who we are looking for: Models in sizes 10, 14 & 16, at least one blonde and one brunette. A Photographer and anyone else who'd like to participate. We already have hair & makeup.

Project is unpaid, all participants will get full use of the photos.

This is a fun project for people who are based in Barnsley to all help each other out and get their own use out of it as well, if you require some photos of particular areas that show your own work, we can get those done for you to put in your own portfolios.

If you yourself or if know anyone who would like to help out on the project please use the contact page quoting the brief and with any links to your work. All participants must be agreed by the project leader to ensure you fit the desired brief.

Whether your business is fashion based or not, it's strange how much it can influence all aspects around you. Many different industries look to fashion for their inspiration, they might look at the shapes, colours, textures or details. These can all transfer to different things like architecture, homewares, art and fabrics. This continuing circle or taking inspiration from each other can affect your own business whatever field you are in, therefore it's good to get in on the loop and know whats coming.

London Fashion Week, beginning next Thursday 15th September to Tuesday 20th, will be showcasing designer's Spring/Summer 2017 collections, meaning you can see what trends will be popping up after the winter. Planning ahead is a main component of all businesses and if you can decide what items you'll create for the next season, you can be right on trend when the time comes. Whether you just want to see the colours, beauty looks, fabric prints or shapes, it's all here at your fingertips because LFW live stream many of their shows onto their website. The Live shows don't start until the Friday but a lot of main contenders like Burberry, Jasper Conran, Mulberry, Topshop Unique are all live streaming and usually last around 30 minutes each.



Pop it on in the background whilst your working or schedule your day around which shows you really want to watch. Make sure to write notes of anything you see that keeps re-occurring or if there's anything that aligns with your own business' brand that you can work into your next season products. Doing all this means you will be on track and already have insider knowledge of what will be popular and what consumers will be looking for, which means more money in your pocket. You don't have to pick up on every single trend and stuff them all into your business though, pick just a few that already match your theme and ethos whilst still keeping your own style in the mix.

Keep track of the shows on the London Fashion Week website here: http://londonfashionweek.co.uk/

Other than the high streets shops, there are a number of places to get different menswear in Barnsley from independent shops and handmade designers. There's always plenty of places for womenswear and the menswear seems sparce or hard to find. Well we've done the leg work for you, here's our list of possibilities for you guys to explore.

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Down the Victorian Arcade are 3 independent shops, Ashworth & Bird, Originals and The Gallery. Each of these have a different style and look so depending how you're feeling, you can easily pop into all 3 down one short street to figure out what you're wanting.



If you leave the Arcade at the bottom after being inside Ashworth & Bird, cross the road and head to your right and you'll pass the corner shop of Ghia Menswear, for the more sport luxe clothing as well as accessories.



Also On your visit list should be Nomad Atelier, many of their items are unisex, looking amazing on men as they do on women. Be prepared to pay the price for their luxurious fabrics, bu they'll certainly last you many years to come in both quality and style.

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Speaking of handmade, local designer Emily Sharp Fashion creates quirky menswear garments, geometric t-shirts, stylish trousers and one-off cardigans. She can also cater to requests and commissions if there's something you'd like but just can't find in the shops.



And lastly, if you're needing something more formal, Greenwoods Menswear is the place. Now based in the Alhambra shopping centre, they have suits, shirts, ties, jackets and more.

All photos belong to Barnsley Fashion Creatives, except Emily Sharp Fashion's two photos.

Chic-yCow are a local handmade accessories business all based on leather. These almost artistic pieces can finish off any outfit and with being such high quality, will be finishing your outfits for years to come. Through the seasons Jo likes to switch things round and try new designs and ranges from natural floral forms to geometric shapes. You can find her Etsy shop here and follow her Facebook page here.

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Jo: These are some of my favourite 'Geometrix' designs, combining leather that has been hand painted in metallic colours and combined with stainless steel hardware like studs. I've always had a passion for all things crafty and over a number of years, I've learnt how to sew, knit, crochet, paint watercolours and make costume jewellery, many techniques I now use in my work.

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Jo: These are items from my best selling 'Autumn Leaves' designs and are again hand painted in metalics and then embroidered over the top, with added beads. Chic-yCow was set up in 2011 when I started to incorporate my love of Art, Colour, Textiles and Painting to produce individually handmade Leather Jewellery, Handbags and Accessories.

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Jo: From the 'Daisies' range, these are also my favourites and some of my best sellers. My products are made using leather that has been embellished with intricately printed and painted designs before being cut, layered and combined to create softly textural pieces of jewellery and accessories.



Jo: Here are a mixture of bracelets, necklaces and brooches. Whilst I am occasionally distracted by geometric shapes and repeating patterns, my main love is working with natural forms.



Jo: These are the updated version of the 'Flower Bracelet', which I've been making now for over 5 years. During the summer, my work features hand painted and printed flowers, combined with glass and ceramic beads and in the winter you can see pieces that are covered with embroidered metallic leaves and bold hand painted leather, combined with metal hardware.

We've been looking through all the runway shows for Autumn/Winter 2016 and grabbed some popular trends for you. There's a lot of different trends this year including others such as winter florals, statement chokers, military, shades of tan and more, but as always, choose the trends that fit with your brand if you want to insert some current topics. Here's some of our favourites.

Colourful Furs

Statement furs are always a classic, but they are coming back this year not just in the blacks and browns, but a whole array of colours. However we suggest the cheaper and more ethical alternative of faux furs. You can still get a great selection and qualities in these and is far easier to work with!

[caption id="attachment_918" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Gucci, Fendi, Rodarte, Salvatore Ferragamo A/W 16[/caption]

Sequins

Sequins are always a hit in the colder seasons and in particular on Christmas party dresses. But you know what?? Sequins can be put anywhere and everywhere, they can easily translate to fashion accessories, jewellery, bags & purses and even into homewares like on cushions and bunting. Yes they can be fiddly to hand sew on, but you can create wonderful effects, also try glue-gunning them on if it's going to be non-wearable or buying pre-sequined fabric on the roll.

[caption id="attachment_927" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Christian Dior, Valentino, Versace, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi A/W 16[/caption]

Velvets

Velvet has already been creeping back in and is already in the vintage shops. Keep away from the tacky velvet though and look at better qualities. If your budget can stretch, silk velvet is a beautiful soft fabric and comes in lovely colours. These can also be translated to bags and accessories in luxurious velvets.

[caption id="attachment_972" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Valentino, 3.1 Philip Lim, Dolece & Gabbana, Fendi A/W 16[/caption]

Ruffles

Ruffles galore are set to be on this autumn and not your over-the-top obvious ruffles, use them more as a trim or along the hem and necklines and even on sleeves. Try making ruffles in different fabrics to get different boyances and even layering them up can create lovely effects.

[caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Roksanda, Elie Saab, Alexander McQueen & Fendi A/W 16[/caption]

Leopard Print

You could have guessed that leopard and similar animal prints would be back in fashion. They've been seen on the runways in the forms of coats, dresses, laces, trousers and more. This can also be done in a make-up form, using those tones of colours in a pattern and even a leopard print purse will always go down well.

[caption id="attachment_950" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Christian Dior, Mugler, Alexandre Vauthier, Calvin Klein A/W 16[/caption]

 

Want to follow trends and research yourself? Have a look at these places WWD, Vogue, Elle, StyleCaster and WhoWhatWear.

Sandra hill is a local multi-skilled artist with multiple businesses, all of the creative persuasion. Her main business is creating dog-clothing and accessories, but also has knowledge is crafts such as jewellery making, glass-work, textiles and more.  we asked her about some of her favourite pieces she's made in fashion accessories.

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BFC: Hi Sandra, so how do you make these?

Sandra: These were during a more intricate phase, placing items, inclusions and stringers. The green is my favourite ever! The glass can be a bit fiddly. Its a clear and green piece of glass with a cut copper inclusion and strips of coordinating glass sandwiched between them. This is then fused in the kiln & usually cross toes, fingers and any thing else that it fused ok without oxidizing the copper inclusion, or slipping off deforming the shape. It's like christmas day opening the kiln after a firing, as glass can have a life of its own.

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Sandra: But you sometimes just find a lovely piece of glass, that just needs rounding or softening as these. Some glass pieces are just pretty on their own so I just need to cut the required size, then fuse together, just take sharp edges off, or fuse to a full rounded fused shape.

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Sandra: I really enjoy the freedom wire wrapping gives you, a bead or gemstone & silver or plated wire and let your imagination loose. I use beads for wire wrapping, usually coloured glass or semi precious stones, even just nice pebbles I find on the beach!

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Sandra: This I love! Having a break from the glass and wire work, with a textile, touchy, feely moment. It reminds me of a muppet from my childhood!

BFC: What are they made from and how do you do them?

Sandra: They're made from wool/yarn and they're made using a flower loom. I also make flower hair bands and brooches, etc.

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BFC: Ooh interesting! What is a flower loom?

Sandra: A flower loom is a circle with pins stuck up at even spacings that you can wrap threads, wool etc around. Easy really, but then you need to push the designs and play with it and the materials.

You can contact Sandra through her main business facebook page: A Pawfect Fit.

Something New - Wedding Specialists is ran by Laura Fletcher and creates beautiful bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, along with venue decorations like chair covers, table top decor and candy carts. We talked to her about her favourite makes, cos who doesn't want to see gorgeous flowy dresses??



Laura: As the wedding season slows down for me, I've started to research bridesmaid trends for 2017 and you can see that having your maids in a mixture of colours is set to continue. The first of my customers to do this in 2015 was Joanne, whose bridesmaids wore our best-seller, Adriana, in shades of pinks and purples.



Laura: One of my favourites from 2016 was Faith's lovely ladies in their custom made Renée gowns in purple hues, beautiful for a June wedding.



Laura: Also from this year was Alexa's girls in their various vintage pink shades. And still to come next month, a wonderful array of blue, silver and mint! And my top tip for 2017... pastels!



BFC: Where do you go to look for inspiration on your styles, designs and colours?

Laura: Pinterest... I'm totally obsessed! Most of what is on there are American weddings, which are always one step ahead. We tend to follow 1-2 years on, so whatever is happening there, we're sure to follow.

BFC: And what fabrics do you mostly use and which is your favourite to work with?

Laura: Definitely chiffon. It's flattering and looks so pretty. Also corded lace! Its great for the classic, vintage look.

You can see more of her work on her website and also give her facebook page a like!

Spirit Original Designs owned by Trish Evans is one of our local handmade designers and her skills range from bag making, to jewellery, clothing and homewares. The business currently resides inside the Oh Sew Sweet Shop at Wombwell and we had a bit of a chat to her about how it all began. Visit Spirit's Facebook page here.

 BFC: Hi Trish, as a local Barnsley creative, what was it that got into doing your business originally?

Trish: I have loved sewing and being creative from when I was at school. I had a very stressful job and needed to chill and take a step back for health reasons. This is wear my creative and sewing skills made another appearance in my life and now i'm not stressed at all!

BFC: That's great that you almost use it as a relaxation method. Which creative skills did you start out with first? And is that what you still do now or have they evolved to other things?

Trish: I could sew at school so I would say that. I was also good with art at school too, then came making bridal head-wear in the early 80's. Initially this business began with jewellery making and we still do that.

BFC: So that's already a few skills you had under your belt early on. You now also do clothing as part of your business don't you? Could you tell us how that came about?

Trish: I would say from about the second year when we had already progressed into bag making and neck wraps, customers were asking us for clothes. They kept asking "when are you going to start making clothes?". To be honest I was happy with the business as it was but I gave in! I thought, give the customers what they want. That's how our clothes range started.

BFC: It's always good to listen to what your customers want. How would you describe the style of you clothing?

Trish: Individual. We only make one of everything so u wont be wearing the same dress as someone else! Individual with a twist.

BFC: And how would you describe your customer base that wanted you to make these clothes?



Trish: The same customers that keep coming back and new ones too. The age group that initially requested clothes were around 18-35 year old. I tend to get a lot of requests for races and weddings. I love creating something unusual.

BFC: Having returning customers are so valuable to any business. Do they still come to see you in your new home at the Oh sew Sweet Shop? Could you tell us a bit about the new place?

Trish: Oh yes. Since moving here it has gone from strength to strength! New customers all the time! Its a hub of life! A fabric shop, cafe and our boutique all in one!

BFC: Sounds like a wonderful little place! So out of all your fashion-y items, which are you favourite to make? Dresses? Bags? Jewellery?

Trish: Mmmmm I think dresses! 😀

BFC: Haha! And lastly, what piece of advice would you give to new business startups?

Trish: Listen to your customers and hang in there!

All pictures belong to Spirit Original Designs.

Emi B Designs by Emily Roberts creates beautiful handmade bags and accessories. She uses vintage themed fabrics like polka dots and florals whilst keeping a modern touch. All her items can be catered towards your needs, resulting in something that's amazing quality and incredibly useful. We asked her what were her all-time favourite designs and why she loved them.

 Linen Spotted Bag
Emily: "This bag is brilliant for everyday because of all the different coloured spots on the fabric I have used. This is why I love this one. The fabric is linen so feels lovely to touch. I lined this in a bright green cotton and this really makes this bag pop and really stand out."

We think this would make a great day bag, maybe go out shopping with it and would match any outfit with its neutral tones and then pops of different colours. The fabric makes it long-lasting, meaning you can get plenty of use out of it and more value for your money.
Cross-Body Pleated Bag

Emily: "I made this bag as I know lots of people like a decent sized bag that can be worn across the body in order to keep there hands free. This particular bag has 2 pleats in both the front and the back and this is what gives it that lovely shape. This is one of my favourites because of the fabric I love the vintage look of it I even finish most of my bags off with a genuine vintage button."

The vintage print on this fabric is so gorgeous and I'm a strong believer of cross-body bags. The vintage button just finishes off this beautiful bag.
Triple Pocket Bag

Emily: "This Bag was made for someone who doesn't like to cart around a bigger bag but still likes room for everything they need. it contains 3 pockets that are nice and compact when together but expands and opens out when opened. This is my favourite bag to make at the moment and this particular one I love the fabric it has that vintage look to it again which I really like across my designs. The fabric is definitely quirky and something you can't find on the high street."
Triple Pocket Bag

Functionality is something that a lot of mainstream, high street bags lack in. But this one has it all! Perfect for someone who tends to carry everything and the kitchen sink in their bags, hands up if you're one of them. Coupled with a pretty vintage print and a flap opening to complete this beauty.

Emi B Designs can be contacted through her Facebook page and also be sure to check out here blog!

All Pictures belong to Emi B Designs.