A new fashion event is planning to make its debut at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) in 2014.
 
The South Coast Fashion Week is aimed at designers, high street retailers and fashion-conscious consumers and will run at the venue from 9 to 11 May 2014. The new organiser, which is trading under the same name, has brought on Jack fm as a media partner and is also working with local colleges and universities to showcase up-and-coming fashion talent.
 
Features will include a core exhibition of 150 exhibitors, along with runway shows displaying new, vintage, retro and off-the-wall designs.
 
“The team is extremely excited about bringing our inaugural event to Bournemouth, which will rival London Fashion Week in attracting the very best in fashion retailers, regional designers and shoppers,” South Coast Fashion Week MD Mandy Pearce claimed.
 
The BIC was chosen because of its reputation, event support, location and accessibility, she said. Steve Piper, the director of venues for BH Live which operates the facility, said it expected to see 2,500 shoppers converge on the show each day.
 
“This event will also give shoppers an exclusive insight into the latest trends, the opportunity to meet fashion designers, increase footfall into the town and contribute an estimated £1.6m of economic benefit through business tourism into Bournemouth,” he said.
 
Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce president Nigel Hedges added the choice of the town to host the new fashion show was an endorsement of the town’s hospitality industry and complemented its expanding festival programme.
 
Last week, alternative London-based fashion trade shows LondonEdge and The Ledge reported mixed exhibitor and visitor results across their September editions.
 
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