Smart Works Leeds Fashion as a Force for Good Ball 2024 showcases top preloved sales bargain special occasion dresses

Expect off-the-scale glamour and serious dressing up, without a hint of guilt. The Fashion as a Force for Good Ball is back this November, and it promises to be a glittering celebration of Yorkshire fashion, Yorkshire women, and the transformative power of clothing.

The ball is hosted and organised by Smart Works Leeds, the charity that supports unemployed women from across Yorkshire for interview and job success. It takes place at The Marriott Leeds on November 13, 2024, coinciding with the charity’s 5th birthday.

Here, as a taster, Smart Works Leeds chair of trustees, Tracy Fletcher, and volunteers Pat Young and Lizzy Woodhead gathered at a Leeds city centre rooftop space to showcase a selection of pre-loved special outfits, many bought at a Smart Works Leeds pop-up sale (there is one coming up from June 14-16 in Victoria Gate – be warned, they are a fashion lover’s paradise and highly addictive), with hair by Russell Eaton salon in Leeds and make-up by Nancy Sheldon at Bobbi Brown.

They were joined on the shoot by the winner of last year’s Fashion as a Force for Good Indie of the Year award (sponsored by Rinew Legal), Yana Smaglo, for her brand Nenya, which supports Ukrainian designers by providing them with a platform to showcase and sell their work.

This year’s event follows the success of last November’s inaugural Fashion as a Force for Good Ball, co-hosted by journalist and presenter Christine Talbot and actor and presenter Natalie Anderson, and attended by well-known faces from TV, media, fashion and business, including Yorkshire TV presenters Amy Garcia, Amanda Harper, Sally Simpson and Kerry Gosney.

Smart Works Leeds client champions Nicola and Fran won the Force for Good Magic Moment award, sponsored by Thrive Law, and stepped up on stage to share their stories with more than 200 guests. “The event was amazing and exciting, and when I won the award for Magic Moment I was crying but happy,” Nicola said. “The award is something I will cherish forever, and I can tell my children.”

Based at Mabgate Mills, last year Smart Works Leeds helped more than 800 women by dressing and coaching them for job interviews. Natalie, appointed ambassador last year, said: “It’s hugely exciting for me to see this event return to raise even more vital funds for the essential work we are doing to help unemployed women get the job and change their lives.”

SEE LAST YEAR’S BALL PICTURES WITH AMY GARCIA , NATALIE ANDERSON AND CHRISTINE TALBOT HERE

Attendees are encouraged to dress in a sustainable way that makes them feel special, perhaps wearing a dress they never thought they would, celebrating a favourite piece that tells a story, or supporting sustainable fashion by hiring an outfit.

Styling the models’ hair on the shoot, Robert Eaton said it was good to see a switch to a little more glamour, after a long period of many of us preferring to dress down. “Any opportunity that women, and men, get to change up their style and look a bit more glamorous is brilliant,” he said. “I really like this idea of people wearing their hair up again, still in a casual, natural sort of way, but it instantly elevates a look, changes the way that the hair feels and totally changes the look of that outfit.

"Sometimes, wearing the hair away from the face can bring out the best facial features and create more height and lift, so elongating the body as well, but also exposing the brilliant make-up that was created on the day.

“It’s really achievable at home. In the salon, what we do is masterclasses or lessons in how to do a quick, easy up-do at home.”

Make-up artist Nancy Sheldon – who is supported by Bobbi Brown to work with Smart Works Leeds clients at the Mabgate Mills centre – created a classic but contemporary special occasion look for this shoot, with defined brows, striking smokey eyes, combined with a modern, fresh and natural base. She said: “Make-up is empowering. Even a pop of red can empower you.”

There will be a welcome reception, three-course meal and dancing, plus magic moments to inspire all.

There will be 10 awards, five recognising the special people and organisations who make the work of Smart Works Leeds possible, and five recognising Yorkshire fashion designers, creatives, influencers, stylists and retail outlets that show excellence with kindness and ethics. These will be judged on commitment to sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, innovation and customer care. Entrants can nominate themselves or anyone can send in to nominate those they feel deserve one or more of this year’s awards. The five fashion categories are: 

Force for Good Independent of the Year - An independent fashion designer, shop or online boutique, based in Yorkshire, with community and/or sustainability at their heart as they deliver brilliant design and/or excellent customer experience and quality.

Force for Good Retail Team of the Year - Open to all fashion stores, from small independents to large retailers with multiple stores and Yorkshire-based online retailers. This is for teams who strive to engage with and make a difference to their community and environment. Is there a fashion store in Yorkshire that you love, where the staff always go that extra mile to make you look fabulous and feel confident?

Force for Good Emerging Designer of the Year - For students, graduates and emerging designers, based in Yorkshire, who have a strong focus on sustainability and/or inclusivity challenges. Who has impressed you with their innovative portfolio, collections and projects? Who is the One to Watch?

Force for Good Influencer of the Year - Which Yorkshire-based social media fashion icon do you admire most? Who wears it well, but also does so much more than that, highlighting issues of inclusivity, sustainability and ethics, championing others and striving always to use fashion as a force for good?

Force for Good Creative of the Year - For an individual or a team working in the fashion and style creative fields in Yorkshire including photography, videography, fashion styling and content creating. We are looking for creatives whose work is striking and diverse, underpinned by ethics and sustainability.

The closing date for the Fashion as a Force for Good award nominations is June 21, 2024, at 5pm. Nominate yourself or someone that inspires you now here

Tickets are available now at an early bird price of £85 each, or £800 for a table for 10. More details and tickets here

For more details, including about sponsoring an award - see sponsorship details here: contact: [email protected]​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

“We are beyond proud of how successful our first FAAFFG was, and we are so pleased that this event will feature on our calendar every year,” says Tracy Fletcher. “The Ball captures the very essence of Smart Works. It’s a place to celebrate women supporting women, and at the same time recognising our amazing supporters and champions of sustainable fashion. I can’t wait to see our community, together again, in all their glorious finery.”

The work of photographer Carla Dominguez can be seen at the ​Leeds Beckett University MA Fashion exhibition on June 7, Leeds School of Arts, 5-8pm, City Campus.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​