High-class fashion event to raise money for baby unit

The fashion and beauty event is to be held on May 21 at Grays Court, the historic building behind Treasurer’s House, in the shadow of York Minster, next month with some of the most trend-setting faces in Yorkshire lending their support aid of baby unit.

Leading fashion label L K Bennett will showcase its current spring and summer collections, courtesy of the local branch in Low Petergate.

Owner of Grays Court and host of the event is Helen Heraty, 51, who herself is no stranger to fashion.

Earlier this year, following a national search by L K Bennett for “real women” to front a new promotional campaign, Helen was chosen as one of the four faces of L K Bennett.

She said: “This is about using what we have here at Grays Court to raise awareness of local causes and vital funds. York special care baby unit is obviously a very good cause and one I am particularly interested in, but we hope to have many fundraising events for charities in the future.”

The fashion label will use models from York and North Yorkshire who have been styled by make-up artists courtesy of Estee Lauder with hair and hairdressers from Fusion Hair Design. Adding the finishing touches will be headwear designed exclusively for the event by bespoke milliner, Suzanne Gill.

Suzanne has previously worked in partnership with the fashion label, having been invited to showcase her headwear to complement last year’s collections in both the York and London branches.

Helping to co-ordinate the event will be Allison Daniel and Lisa Hogg, who co-run The Wedding Affair bridal store.

Tickets, priced at £25 per head including wine and canapés, are available from www.theweddingaffair.co.uk/ and the event starts at 6.45pm and runs until 9.30pm.

All money made from ticket prices, raffle, charity auction, will be donated to the baby unit.

Those attending will benefit from a 20 per cent discount off the price of the L K Bennett collections and a ten per cent discount off Suzanne Gill Millinery. The evening will be compered by Minster FM’s Chris Marsden.

A preview evening will be held on Thursday, May 5, at the Low Petergate branch of L K Bennett starting at 6pm where discount vouchers will be available.

LK Bennett’s concession at Fenwicks held a fashion show yesterday to raise money for children orphaned in Japan.

Misaki Lister, a sales assistant at LK Bennett in Fenwicks in York, moved to York from Kanagawa, south of Tokyo, six years ago with her husband, who she met while he was working in Japan.

She said her parents, although safe and well, were worried about radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Five models, including Helen, Helen’s daughter Amber, who works in LK Bennett’s Low Petergate shop, and three Fenwick’s staff, modelled the spring/summer collection.