Smart Works Leeds, the charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for job and interview success, has announced a major fund-raising ball and awards ceremony this November.
The inaugural Fashion as a Force for Good Ball will take place at The Marriott Leeds on November 15, 2023. It promises to be a glamorous celebration of the best of Yorkshire fashion, hosted by a team of super-stylish Yorkshire personalities.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in an occasion outfit that makes them feel confident and tells a story. Smart Works Leeds co-chair of trustees Tracy Fletcher says: “We invite you to wear that outfit you never thought you would, that has perhaps been stored in your wardrobe for too long, or it might be a favourite piece that reminds you of a wonderful time.”
The evening will include eight awards, four recognising individuals and companies who have supported Smart Works Leeds, and four awards celebrating Yorkshire fashion designers, influencers, stylists and retail outlets, all promoting fashion as a force for good throughout their work. They will each be judged on their commitment to sustainable fashion, to their community, to diversity, inclusivity and innovation.
The four fashion categories are:
- Force for Good Indie of the Year – An independent fashion designer, shop or online boutique, based in Yorkshire, with community and/or sustainability at their heart as they deliver brilliant design and/or excellent customer experience and quality.
- Force for Good Retail Team of the Year – Open to all fashion stores, from small independents to large retailers with multiple stores and Yorkshire-based online retailers. We are looking for teams who strive to engage with and make a difference to their community and their environment. Is there a fashion store in Yorkshire that you love, where the staff always go that extra mile to make you look fabulous and feel confident?
- Force for Good Emerging Designer of the Year – For students, graduates and emerging designers, based in Yorkshire, who have a strong focus on sustainability and/or inclusivity challenges. Who has impressed you with their innovative portfolio, collections and projects? Who is the One to Watch?
- Force for Good Influencer of the Year – Which Yorkshire-based social media fashion icon do you admire most? Who wears it well, but also does so much more than that, highlighting issues of inclusivity, sustainability and ethics, championing others and striving always to use fashion as a force for good?
The evening will include a welcome reception, three-course meal, speeches, fundraiser fun and dancing. Smart Works Leeds co-chair Helen Oldham says: “It will be a night of magic moments with the ambition to ensure everyone in the room leaves the event feeling empowered and inspired.
“Every penny raised will go towards supporting unemployed women, guiding them to grow in confidence, get the job, and change their lives, all through the transformative power of clothing.”
