Young fashion hits Southend’s YMCA

Young designers and entrepreneurs have been given the opportunity to showcase and sell their fashion collections at ETC, a YMCA shop in Southend. Mandy Barder writes.

To mark the launch of this social enterprise, Southend YMCA held a fashion show at the ETC shop last month. Hosted by BBC Radio presenters Mike Bromfield and Ollie Winiberg, the audience included Southend Mayor and Mayoress and MP David Amess. The show was free to attend on the basis that guests bring along an item of clothing they no longer wanted. Canapes and refreshments were courtesy of the YMCA catering course students, while DJs Dee Hunter and James Cox provided the music.

Young designers at the event included Holly Walker, Joey Bevan, Caron Brandajs, Sarah Watkins, Sian Du’more and The Deanes School fashion club and tutor Alison Ansary.  All will be at the ETC shop to sell clothes from their collections.

YMCA ETC