Smart Works Leeds launches Fashion as a Force for Good Ball and Yorkshire Fashion Awards 2023

The inaugural Fashion as a Force for Good Ball will take place at The Marriott Leeds on November 15, 2023. Organisers promise that it will be a glamorous celebration of the best of Yorkshire fashion, hosted by a team of super-stylish Yorkshire personalities.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in an occasion outfit that makes them feel fabulous, confident - and perhaps also tells a story. Smart Works Leeds co-chair of trustees Tracy Fletcher said: “We invite you to wear that outfit you never thought you would, that has perhaps been stored in your wardrobe for too long, or it might be a favourite piece that reminds you of a wonderful time.”

Based at Mabgate Mills, Smart Works Leeds supports unemployed women across Yorkshire by dressing and coaching them for job interview. Last year, the charity helped more than 600 women. Actor and presenter Natalie Anderson was appointed Smart Works Leeds first ambassador last year, and the charity has the support of a number of Yorkshire personalities, particularly for its popular designer bargain fashion sales.

The Fashion as a Force for Good Ball will include eight awards, four recognising individuals and companies who have supported Smart Works Leeds, and four celebrating the Yorkshire fashion community. Details will be released in September. The four fashion categories are: 

Force for Good Indie 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. We are looking for teams who strive to engage with and make a difference to their community and their 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?

Tickets are available now and cost £85 each, or £800 for a table for 10. More details and tickets here on Ticket Tailor.

The evening will include a welcome reception, three-course meal, speeches and dancing. Smart Works Leeds co-chair Helen Oldham says: “It will be a night of magic moments with the ambition to ensure everyone in the room leaves the event feeling empowered and inspired.

“Every penny raised will go towards supporting unemployed women, guiding them to grow in confidence, get the job, and change their lives, all through the transformative power of clothing.”

For more details, contact [email protected]