We are thrilled to announce that the Sunday Times Big Fashion Sale on 31 October 2015 was our most successful yet, bringing in over £40 000 to support Smart Works in our mission to help more women.
We want to say a huge thank you to the team at Style magazine, who not only organised the event but manned stalls and brought the magic of fashion to Somerset House for a very special day of shopping and fundraising. Each retailer cast their own spell as the different rooms were transformed into pop up stores from John Lewis, Hobbs, Whistles, LK Bennett, Jigsaw, Paper London, Astrid & Miyu and Topshop, whilst Bobbi Brown ensured we were all looking and feeling Pretty Powerful for the occasion.
Shoppers flocked through the doors at 9am, cleared the rails then recharged with champagne, cupcakes, manicures and hairstyling, before the afternoon session began. Our Patron, Betty Jackson, joined in the buzz and excitement and there was a great spirit of camaraderie and fun from everyone involved. This is something that is at the heart of everything we do at Smart Works. For many of the shoppers at the event, it was an important annual girls’ trip, or mother-daughter outing that marked the start of Christmas, which made for a very special atmosphere.
Thank you so much to everyone for your continued support. We rely on donations such as these to provide the Smart Works service, and help bring it to more women across the UK. As the article in the Style magazine pointed out on Sunday 29 November, more than 40% of women who come to us have been unemployed for two years or longer, be that through abuse, addiction or simply a debilitating lack of confidence. On average, 58% go on to get a job. Together, we can harness the positive power of fashion to help women look and feel the best that they can be before their interview. As one of our clients said recently, ““Thank you so much. Not just for the clothes and the confidence, but the feeling of being worthy.”