CHESHIRE Fashion Week's summer shows will feature brands focused on sustainability, heritage and Chester's fashion history.

The event, which will be held on June 17, at Chester Town Hall will feature more than 80 models and 10 brands.

One of the UK's leading sustainability campaigners in retail, White Stuff and growing independent designer labels like Brian De Carvalho - renowned for his theatrical pieces that explore macabre themes - will be joined by British, family run bridal supplier Shane Moore Designs and Eden Keshia, a bridal couture designer and artist achieving zero-waste show productions through the use of deadstock materials.

Emerging brands Looks Chester, HFS Designs, and 'Formerly Known As' an inclusive, gender - neutral brand whose focus is to create classic modern basics in premium fabrics, featuring multiple wear-able pieces to encourage customers to shop less and wear more are scheduled to debut in the annual event's summer line-up.

Global Talent designers ATK Fashion House and Apparel By Mo (both from Nigeria) are also on the schedule. In an unprecedented move, the Chester Grosvenor Museum's costume department will also present during fashion week, along with Rachel Davies a textile educator, and freelance artist whose impactful 'Textiles Tell Stories' display help highlight sustainability and Chester's fashion history through the lens of modernity.

Cheshire Fashion Week CEO Claire Namukolo Raven said: "Summer 2023 marks the first season in which we take steps to promote sustainability where participating brands have to meet sustainability standards. Applicants were required to pass the sustainability test and screening to test their art direction, smart material choices, and consumer engagement to be shortlisted for showcasing in the launch of our 'Fashion Week Arts' summer season events in a first of its kind event where sustainability, artistic interpretation, and recycled, upcycled designs were a critical focus to make it through to showcase on the runway.

"It was a difficult selection process as a fashion week as we had to reject many applications while encouraging them to take a bit more time to take sustainable steps and hope that they will be able to present with us in the near future but also physically scout out brands that met or had the potential to meet the criteria."

The event is the first UK fashion week to scrutinise all participating brands for sustainability, engaging local museums and heritage, and Cheshire Fashion Week says it will be setting a new standard for future in attempting to reduce the impact of fashion shows as well as working with brands and designers to develop sustainable and ethical businesses.

There is a free ticket available on Eventbrite for the exhibition featuring 'Chester's Fashion History', the museum collections and archives of Browns Of Chester.

Further information about the event and tickets can be found at: https://cheshirefashionweek.com/tickets-2023.