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Date: 02/02/2023 | Ref. 925478
February 2023 / Mandatory Credit Press Eye/Darren Kidd
DEFYING GRAVITY: A PUNK ODYSSEY Eabha wearing Red tartan suit by up and coming designer Matthew Tanner who featured on BBC NI a Stitch series and Eilish wearing Upcycled punk dress by Brodie McFeeley, student at Ulster University BA hons Textile Art, Design and Fashion. Worn with original punk rubber jacket
DEFYING GRAVITY: A PUNK ODYSSEY
Thursday, 16th March 2023 Banana Block, Belfast
On 16th March, Belfasts punk-inspired fashion competition DEFYING GRAVITY: A PUNK ODYSSEY will make its unmissable inaugural outing. Taking over The Banana Block, a thriving events space & living museum in East Belfast, its a unique celebration of homegrown talent and a fashion competition honouring a true punk and style icon.
The project was devised with its original guest judge, British punk icon Jordan Mooney - who sadly passed in April 2022 - as central to the premise of the show. Honouring her towering legacy while showcasing the best of Belfasts creative sector, it will give a diverse range of local fashion designers the chance to showcase their work and walk away with immersive work experience with a major TV network and a 1000 cash prize.
Offering their world-beating expertise on the night are four very special guest judges:
legendary Glasgow fashion designer Pam Hogg, award-winning Belfast hairdresser and stylist Paul Stafford, fashion designer and illustrator Sara ONeill and London musician Marco Pirroni (Adam Ant, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sinead O'Connor).
Timed to mark Belfast being awarded the prestigious UNESCO City of Music status, Defying Gravity is also a carefully-curated celebration of Belfasts rich musical heritage, namely punk in all its various iterations and its expression right across Belfasts creative sector. As well as featuring models and choreography by Style Academy, a live soundtrack by acclaimed Belfast producer & DJ Phil Kieran based on his club night Leatherette at Ulster Sports Club, A/V from Visual Spectrum, visuals and film courtesy of Stephen Hackett, and costume design experience by Cathy Prior (Derry Girls, Channel 4, BBC, Netflix, Paramount+), the city's most beloved broadcaster and Coronation Street appreciator, Julian Simmons, will compere on the night.
Defying Gravity co-founder Sinead Green said: We are holding this event at The Banana Block, a living museum in the heart of East Belfast which is fast becoming a favourite venue for the music community in Belfast.
It is borne from our friendship with Jordan Mooney, and in tribute to her - hence the name Defying Gravity, the title of her memoirs detailing her life and career from its beginnings working in Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLarens King Road boutique to becoming a countercultural icon. She was our original guest judge and as she passed away last year, we wanted to continue with the show in her memory and deliver something that she would be proud to be a part of.
Green continued: We want to create an annual event that showcases and engages with multiple disciplines across the creative industries in Belfast, but with a celebration of music being at its core. We believe that in doing this collaboratively, we can build a strong team of industry professionals to ensure that this musically-inspired showcases can be a fixture in Belfasts calendars, as not only a musical event but also a fashion and AV event too.
Tickets for Defying Gravity are available via starrrecords.co.uk
Following the main event, the official Defying Gravity afterparty featuring Phil Kieran will also take place at The Banana Block
For media enquiries and more information, please contact Brian Coney: +447849591252 or brianconey@gmail.com
