'Don't Dump, Design' The Results!

On Sunday night my faithful colleagues and I, with help of some very dedicated volunteers and a fabulous array of designers, models, sponsors, donators and guests, pulled off what was a glamorous and unique evening of fashion!

I think I experienced a diluted version of what a bride must feel on her wedding day (all eyes were not upon me and I wasn’t wearing white); you put in a whole heap of energy, time and sleepless nights arranging one big event and then it goes past in a tiny miniscule moment and you remember hardly anything of it the next day!

However I do remember a few little snippets that will live with me for a long time;

Overseeing the models getting their hair and make-up done at Be Ba Boom and realising that we were responsible for them all!

Seeing the ‘Speakeasy’ room packed to the rafters with eager browsers at 8pm and finally feeling like we had got the show on the road for real.

Announcing to the stunning models and enormously talented designers the final call before going on stage.

Having a full on fluttery-heart panic when the microphones didn’t work in the first few minutes (our lovely host Amanda Hamilton smoothed out all of the initial creases and made the audience feel really relaxed and involved- she was amazing!)

Proudly watching the model that we scouted in a vintage fair make her debut on the catwalk and look as good as all of the professional models.

And unexpectedly having to go on stage to announce the raffle winners and getting a few seconds in the lime light with my co-organiser and firm friend Esther.

It has been an incredible journey for me to work on such a project. We had no budget to pay anyone for their time so it felt even more amazing when we saw everyone from the ten volunteers helping to sell designer items in the pop-up shops to supermodel Anna Freemantle and her stylist Ian Tod arrive to judge the design competition.  The Voodoo Rooms was such a glamorous and atmospheric venue; the DJ brought the catwalk to life; the auctioneer helped us raise a lot of money for the one-off garments made by the young fashion designers; the boutiques of Edinburgh who donated beautiful items to sell were hugely generous and our sponsors made the whole event possible.

I’m very proud to announce that we made £2000 pounds for Save the Children!

For more photos of the event check out our brilliant professional photographer Will Robb’s website.