A Real People Catwalk Show organised by sample sales specialists DSUK and the Institute of Contemporary Arts will take place on October 20th in London. The aim is to make the regular DSUK customers the stars of a runway show.

Elaine Foster-Gandey, DSUK founder, explained that she wanted “to celebrate people of all different sizes, shapes, ages, and ethnicity”. A size 16 herself, Foster-Gandey wanted to show that there “really is a way of saying skinny models do not have to dominate fashion”. To keep with the spirit of the show, participants will pick their own clothes from the racks, ensuring they model looks close to their taste and personality.

DSUK informed its customers of the project at the end of July with its newsletter and has already received more than 70 applications. Participants’ motivations range from “wanting to represent bigger women and show that they can look good in designer clothes” to simply “having fun”.

Foster-Gandey founded DSUK, the first designer sample sales opened to the public in the UK in 1989. Since then, the company has added an online shop. DSUK mostly sells designer clothes from fashion stars such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen at discounted price. A Real People Catwalk already took place last April in Brick Lane. Each amateur model showed the clothes the way they wished, be it with a simple stroll or a more elaborated dance number.

The Real People Catwalk will take place at 7pm on October 20^th at the ICA Theatre in London.

To participate send a paragraph about why you would like to get involved and a recent photograph of yourself to sales@designersales.co.uk.

The next DSUK sample sale will be from October 1^st to October 4^th at the Boilerhouse on Brick Lane, London E1 6RU

DSUK Website: http://designersales.co.uk/