Uppermill Boutique Hosts Runway Show to Mark International Women’s Day

UPPERMILL, Saddleworth - Silk slips made from bamboo, organic-cotton tailoring and reclaimed-cashmere knits will glide down a makeshift catwalk here on Friday evening as ethical-fashion boutique Suki’s Wardrobe turns its 18th-century shopfront into a celebration of women, sustainability and global solidarity.

The March 7 showcase, timed for the eve of International Women’s Day, runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and features the store’s new spring collection alongside live music from Greater Manchester singer-songwriter June Holland, complimentary drinks and gift bags for every guest.

Tickets, £12, include a glass of prosecco on arrival, access to an exclusive event-only discount and the knowledge that 10 per cent of the night’s profits will be donated to The Circle, the Annie Lennox-founded NGO that tackles gender-based violence and economic inequality worldwide.

Founder Bekka Simpson, 38, said the idea was born from the community that has grown around the boutique since she opened on High Street six years ago.

“We’ve created an incredible community at Suki’s Wardrobe and it’s about uplifting women locally and internationally,” she said. “The Circle does incredible work to support women worldwide, including those in the fashion supply chain, so donating profits to the cause was a perfect fit.”

Models will be drawn from Saddleworth’s amateur-theatre groups, running clubs and mothers’ networks; sizes range from 6 to 18. Each look—priced from £35 for a hand-blocked print scarf to £189 for a tailored hemp-silk blazer—will be available to buy straight from the rail immediately after the show.

Holland, whose soul-tinged set begins at 6:15 p.m., called the lineup “a love letter to the women who keep this valley creative”. Guests can browse reworked denim, plant-dyed dresses and jewellery cast from recycled brass while musicians play among the displays.

Doors open at 5:15 p.m.; tickets can be purchased in store at 86 High Street or online at www.sukiswardrobe.co.uk.

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