UCLan students are hosting a fashion show in aid of Papyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide)

Next week, a charitable student fashion show, open to the public, is taking place at the University of Central Lancashire in aid of Papyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide).

'RESET' has been produced by the final year BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion students at UCLan and will take place on Thursday December 2 across both floors of the Atrium, a large social space within the university's Student’s Union

Doors open at 6:30pm, but the fashion show starts at 7, and there will also be a pop-up shop, a raffle with various high-end prizes, music and live entertainment.

All elements of the show have been solely conceptualised, designed, made and installed by the students, with all 18 students in the final year being assigned different production roles including marketing and PR, fundraising, model casting, styling, and set design.

A spokesperson for the students said: "RESET is the first fashion show us final year students have been able to hold since 2019 due to the pandemic, so we couldn’t think of a more fitting theme than the concept of ‘the new normal’. The pandemic has made us revaluate what is truly meaningful to us, so we are embracing the idea of a ‘blank canvas’.

"Alongside the fashion show itself, we are also working with a number of local businesses, graduate artists and craftspeople to host a pop-up shop throughout the evening to encourage attendees to #shoplocal this Christmas.

"Collectively, Papyrus (Prevention of Young Suicide) was chosen as it was a charity close to a number of the students hearts, and one we thought very relevant given the mental health implications of COVID-19."

All RESET tickets, which cost £5, include a complimentary drink upon arrival and access to the pop-up shop, with traders including UCLan graduates, Harriet Rose McCoombe, Arkane Living, Frayed Store UK, local business Grace & Rose Baby Company, as well as a pet accessories stall from the second year students on the BA Textile Design course at UCLan.

All the revenue from the raffle will also be going straight to Papyrus, with high value raffle prizes including numerous high-end gins, wines and Christmas hampers from various local businesses, as well as an £100 Size? giftcard, £90 Body Shop Hamper, a free family or pet photoshoot from Laura Eyre Photography, £100 bar voucher from The Northern Way, and even a free Pornstar cocktail tree from Baker Street in Preston.

As well as this fashion show, during the past six weeks, the students have been fundraising for Papyrus in a number of ways, including holding sweet sales across the university, selling their own art prints to students and staff, and also setting up a GoFund me page for family and friends to make donations directly.

Course leader of the BA Fashion Promotion & Marketing course, Eve Astle, and senior lecturer Nicola Palmer, said: “We are supremely proud of the achievements of our final year BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and Marketing students who started this process with no money and raised the funds to put on and host this fantastic show all in aid of charity. The ability to design, market and style an event is a huge challenge and to raise money and give back to PAPYRUS is also a privilege. This show is a pinnacle event in our calendar and is also attended by Boss Model Management who annually scout new faces of the future – we hope to see many of you there!”

Tickets are now available via Eventbrite.