Fashion Forward: Kate Fearnley Boutique

If you hail from my hometown of Middlesbrough, the Kate Fearnley fashion label is one which you will not only know, but adore. However, those of you who are not familiar with this fashion forward designer will soon wonder why not? Loved by many A-list celebrities, such as Cheryl Cole, Katie Price, The Saturdays, Amy Childs and Alexandra Burke to name a few, Kate Fearnley’s quirky, edgy style has risen from the picturesque, seaside town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea to the glittering glamour of the red carpets!

Katie Price and daughter Princess both wearing  Kate Fearnley in an OK magazine shoot.

Graduating from Northumbria University in Newcastle in 1997 with a BA (Hons) in Fashion, Kate made her dreams come true when she won the Princes Trust in 2002 and established her own label. Nowadays, her eclectic style and exquisite collections made up of unusual fabrics, textures and shapes have propelled her popularity so much so that her little boutique in Middlesbrough have fans all over the country. This stylish store is a frequent haunt of the locals and her beautiful dresses are always a must-go-to whenever a special event is on the cards!

In 2010, Kate Fearnley was rewarded for her grit, determination and fashion flair with the prestigious Cosmopoliton award for the ‘Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year’. Cosmo said of the young, up-and-coming designer: “We loved Kate’s fun and fearless determination to burst on to the fashion scene. She never gave up and has truly succeeded in bringing her designs to life, making them accessible on the high street. She’s a true inspiration.”

Kate Fearnley winning the ‘Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at top women’s fashion magazine, Cosmopoliton. Pictured here with TV presenter, Zoe Salmon, who also wears Kate Fearnley.

The Kate Fearnley fashion label continues to surprise and delight with her Autumn/Winter collection for 2011 where a mix of fabrics and unusual adornments show an insight into her flirtatious, creative mind. Although her dresses aren’t particularly cheap at around £160 to £200 a dress, they are most certainly one of a kind, bang on trend and scream haute couture. When you buy a Kate Fearnley dress, you will be wearing something bold, new and exciting. And you certainly won’t be overlooked in a crowd wearing these gorgeous numbers:

       Left: Paige. This knee-length dress features a luxurious, bold yet feminine print with oversized, contrasting shoulder detail.

      Right: How amazing is this ‘Mendes’ dress!? The unusual mix of bold colours combined with the striped waistband gives this classic design the ‘wow’ factor. Add sequin collar and pocket detail and you’ve got yourself a winner.

      Below: Francis. This gorgeous, vibrant dress features boxed sleeves and a key hole cut to the back. 

            Above: The print and lace three-quarter sleeves showcase this ‘Gracey’ dress to its full potential. Wow!

      Left: The LBD has a unique edge with this ‘Astrid’ dress. The beautiful corsage detailing on the one shoulder and striped fabric makes this dress simply stunning.

           Right: Buttercup. This 50’s inspired dress looks divine with charming bow detail, underskirt and provocative colours.

      

Do you need to see more? Visit www.katefearnleyboutique.co.uk for more breathtakingly beautiful dresses, ideal for that special occasion. Kate Fearnley also custom makes dresses to introduce that special something that is just you!

Not only are her collections a parade of beautiful, feminine yet quirky dresses, they also prove the statement that with determination you can succeed. And for that Kate, I thank you.

Love,

Emma xx

Geordie Shore. Good, bad or just plain ugly?

So the hottest new shockumentary has hit our screens this month and it has certainly got everybody talking! Whether you love it, hate it or are warring a rampage against it, everyone has an opinion on the antics of the lads and lasses on MTV’s Geordie Shore!

A reproduction of its most successful ‘reality’ series Jersey Shore, MTV has created another show, in which 15 strangers from the North East are thrown together in a Big Brother-style pad and their shenanigans are viewed 24/7. Similar to the pseudo reality TV docu soaps of The Hills and The Only Way is Essex, Geordie Shore follows some extravagant characters in and around Newcastle, including an 18-year-old self-confessed ‘Posh Spice of Middlesbrough’ with fake FF breasts and a heavily-plucked Geordie male whose hardest days work is doing his hair. Despite a lack of an intriguing plotline in which the characters are merely viewed entering a variety of different nightclubs night after night, the Geordie Shore creators have certainly upped the ‘sex factor’ with this show, in which the characters are seen getting frisky with a multitude of different people in every episode, including each other.

The Geordie Shore cast.

However, despite popular ratings of over 1.3 million in its opening episode, trumping the MTV Music Awards, The Hills and Jersey Shore, and addictive characters, the show has caused uproar in the place the Geordie Shorers all know and love. Newcastle natives are worried about the region’s reputation and have branded the show a disgrace, believing the lewd and embarrassing behaviour to cause untold damage to the region’s image. This belief was so strong that a Facebook page was created, called ‘RIP Geordie Pride24/05/2011 10:00pm’, the moment which the first episode of Geordie Shore aired, which currently holds over 30 thousand members. Locals are so sore about the subject that the show is banned in city pubs, branding the show as pornographic. The Geordie Shorers, however, have defended their actions, saying that they are not representing Newcastle, they are merely representing themselves and they just do what any other average person does on a night out.

In addition, people from Middlesbrough, the hometown of cast member Holly Hagan, are also livid over her performance on the show, in which she obsessively parades her voluptuous body and continuously cheats on and argues with her boyfriend. This led to her being ostracised by the group and leaving the show within the third week. Middlesbrough was named ‘the worst place to live in the UK’ in a 2007 report by Location, Location, Location and ever since, there has been a resurgence of people defending and trying to regenerate the area, resulting in a city bid this year. However, due to Holly’s experiences on the show, sudden fears have emerged that the public perception of the town will have deteriorated; meaning the town and its people’s efforts will have been in vain.

Holly's outrageous behaviour in the hot-tub.

Personally, and as a local from the North East, I am enjoying the show purely due to the outrageous behaviour and extreme characters. However I do agree that many people outside the North East will form certain derogatory opinions due to what happens on Geordie Shore. I do feel that the show represents extreme behaviour and is not a true representation of how we Northerners truly live. Not all Geordies act that way but it can’t be denied, it is certainly entertainment!

What's your opinion on Geordie Shore, do you love it or hate it? Please feel free to follow me on twitter: @emmarobinson14.

Thanks,

Emma.