Life is a Catwalk

The Phone Book Interviews

Celebrating the start of Fashion Week (no, not LFW, CHELTENHAM FASHION WEEK, duh) I have Co-founder, local fashion and education mouth piece and all-round very cool chick, Sam Bawden in the mini-interview hot seat. She regards Sienna Miller and Carrie Bradshaw as style icons and her favourite designers are Erdem and Isabel Marant – a bird after my own heart. 

Past lives have included touring with Michael Hutchence and INXS, living for seven very colourful years in LA and working with major music labels in London i.e. going to gigs for a living. The music and fashion worlds are intrinsically linked as they have been through history from Edie Sedgwick and Anita Pallenberg through to Kate Moss and Yasmin Le Bon so Sam has drawn on her experience to found a local event which deserves national recognition. Check out the CFW site here and my earlier post to get the 411 on the week ahead and get yourselves along. Front row of course. 

 Job Title: Creative Director

Sum up CFW in one sentence: Fun, inspirational events for every age 

I do this job for… the passion of the project and the people I work with

I couldn't get through the working week without… Coffee and my supportive family and friends

Who/what inspires you? Creative and passionate people who are driven to create something special; raw talent  inspires me and the stories behind it

How has your past effected your future? Like anything, experience and life lessons have brought me to the place I am at today. Being a mother also changes my outlook and makes me more aware of the importance of our youth and helping them get ahead in their lives

What's the soundtrack to your working week? If I could only choose one soundtrack it would probably be some Ibizan chill music with some uplifting beats that makes me feel like I am bathed in sunshine watching a gorgeous sunset, even though I am most likely sat in my kitchen with my laptop  

Which song sums up CFW for you? For some reason, I hear a Rocky soundtrack where I am trying to beat the odds, racing up a hill carrying a huge tree trunk?!

The Head's Up: Saving up, paying the credit off, digging out the clothes you want to sell on Ebay - so come and learn how to at our workshop! 

The Plug: I love the Boutique 24 shopping event and the Millinery event is my guilty pleasure...I love hats so much, usually because my hair is a mess and they instantly make you look glamourous!

Best watering hole in Cheltenham? For the buzz it would probably be Petit Blanc as I like to glam up and people watch

In the surrounding Sticks area? Do love The Wheatsheaf, Northleach

Fashion myth you'd like to dispel? That you need to be thin to look good – it has to be confidence and a devil may care attitude

The most rock 'n' roll thing you've ever done? Too many to mention and with too many rockstars and DJS to be polite!

The Big Question - heels or flats? Always heels, never ever flats

Words of wisdom? Follow your heart 

Fantastic shoes with a Carrie Bradshaw attached.

Michael Hutchence, INXS

Credit where credit's due: StyleSocietyIncBlog, Google, CFW