Second up in this season’s My London Fashion Week segment is Courtney Blackman.
I thought she was perfect for this series as she is involved with London Fashion week at varying levels through her work with the Fashion Business Club (co-founded with with fellow Co-Chairman Alison Whelan), Forward PR and Ethical Fashion Forum.
I am honoured to feature this beautiful, inspiring and very busy woman.
Read on to find out how she is getting ready for London Fashion Week spring summer 2011, her fabulous tips on getting through the week, fail safe outfit and more.
Name: Courtney Blackman
Occupation:
Founder & Managing Director, Forward PR
Co-Founder & Co-Chairman, Fashion Business Club
Board Member, Ethical Fashion Forum
My Personal Style in 5 Words: Quirky, seventies meets dominatrix, experimental.
1. Two things that are absolute musts in your bag for fashion week?
Flat shoes and my iPad.
2. Three things that you are doing to prep for fashion week?
-Registering for it on the London Fashion Week website.
-Forward PR is doing the eco-label, Prophetik’s catwalk show again at Vauxhall Fashion Scout this season, so doing about 300 things to prep for that: assisting with castings, fittings, testings, production, guest list, invitation process, gift bag collaborators, staffing, pre-show interviews, and on and on!
-Trying to be as healthy (eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising) beforehand, as the week will wipe me out – per usual. I always forget to eat or drink water, and sleeping is minimal. There are so many events (shows, parties, launches) and meeting people, it’s exhausting, but a complete blast!
3. One reason why London Fashion week is amazing?
Originality
4. Your fail safe tip for getting through the hectic back to back show schedule?
Can I offer more than one?
Taxis! Start saving now! Make a ‘London Fashion Week’ jar for loose change and donations.
Enlist a ‘Fashion Week Friend’ or two. It makes the queuing and waiting that more tolerable. Stylist, Rebekah Roy has been my ‘FWF’ for years, but she’s started styling so many shows, that she’s had to go part-time. If anyone would like to be a new part-time ‘FWF,’ let me know!
…and the best tip I could ever give: if you’re over 30, don’t drink alcohol at parties and such until the very end of the week.
5. High heels or flats at fashion week?
Heels at first until your feet can no longer bear it (see question 1).
6. One outfit you will be wearing at fashion week?
Cute, cute Jasper Garvida has made me the most perfect dress, so I’ll probably have that on one day. It’s in his exclusive ‘Malachite’ print of swirls of gradient greens silver and black. I’ll probably team it with a super-luxe, black Magenta 8 cap-sleeve, capelet, Chanel sunglasses, and carry S.C. Vizcarra’s ‘Amanda’ bag – a gorgeous, slouchy, woven-leather number that can accommodate that extra pair of shoes, show tickets, a bottle of water, business cards and snacks!
I adore Courtney! Her work ethic is incredible and zest for life is an inspiration.
The Taxi fund Jar and having a FWF(fashion week friend) are brilliant tips! I have a few fashion week buddies that totally keep the otherwise mundane queuing fun.
Courtney has adventurous style and how fantastic is the way she describes it? ( her words were that it is Quirky, seventies meets dominatrix, experimental in her answer) and always looks amazing. I cannot wait to see her wearing the Jasper Garvida dress.
For more on Courtney follow her on Twitter here.
Visit the Fashion Business Club here.
Visit Forward PR here.
Visit the Ethical Fashion Forum here.
Read the rest of the My London Fashion Week series here
Photo Credit:Photo by Dave Wise.. Kind courtesy of Courtney Blackman ans Daice Wise.
