Models of Diversity’s 'Curves in Couture' in Aid of Advance Centre was a Smashing Success

left to right: Miss Trinidad & Tobago, top British designer Zandra Rhodes, host of the event and founder of Models of Diversity, Angel Sinclair and Velvet d’Amour.
Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

This was the first plus-size catwalk show of such prestige to have ever taken place in the UK

London – Models of Diversity’s history-making catwalk show Curves in Couture of healthy, curvy models - all in aid of Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique - on 17 November 2011 at Tabernacle W11 in Notting Hill was a great success. Celeb presenters Natalie Cassidy and Pamela Stephenson wowed the crowd with their wit, beauty and support of the campaign. VIP guests such as CEO of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush, top British designer Zandra Rhodes, America’s Next Top Model winner Whitney Thompson and the dance group Flawless were knocked out by the designs and the models.

Pamela Stephenson - one of the two MCs of the show.
Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

Major media partners were The Dish Network in North America and fantastic German plus-size clothing company navabi. Press who covered the event include Sky TV, The Dish Network and Positive TV; Grazia, Hello, More, OK, We Are HQ, Slink, Beautiful, Evolve, Flynet, The Aspen Business Journal, Fresh Fashion Faces, Just As Beautiful, Prima, Lela London, Women’s Views on News, Fab and Heat magazines; Vogue Curvy, Big Pictures; and newspapers The Mail, The Daily Mail and The Voice.

EastEnders star, Natalie Cassidy - one of the two MCs of the show - with the Catwalk Professor.Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

Celebs and VIPs who attended include Zandra Rhodes, John Swannell, the dance group Flawless, Nick Ede, Equalities MP Lynne Featherstone, Eve Pollard, the Countess Sondes, Velvet d’Amour, Whitney Thompson, CEO of the BFC Caroline Rush and her guests, Em McCleave, Eve Pollard, Leee John, Mark Summers, Brenda Edwards, Miss Trinidad & Tobago, Catwalk Professor, Stuart Phillips, reps from the London Diplomat Association, and brand managers from Harrods, Marina Rinaldi, Evans and Debenhams.

Founder of Advance Centre for the Scotson Technique, Linda Scotson, with Cllr Liz Bennett, deputy mayor of East Grinstead.Photo by maxpictures.co.uk

First came The Diversity Show featuring MoD’s professional models of diverse sizes, shapes, heights, ability levels and races, sporting the latest in ready-to-wear fashion from different retail lines as well as independent designers. Debbie van der Putten, star of BBC 3’s Britain's Missing Top Model walked in the show, which featured designers like Eve Pollard, Jose Hendo, Tina LoBondi, Ramil Makinano, Scarlett Black, Aaron Ray Dowie, and Pepe Jeans.

The highlight of the event was Curves in Couture, with top international curvy plus models such as Sophie Sheppard, Lizzie Miller, Robyn Lawley, fresh off the cover of Vogue Italia, and Toccara Jones, in sizes 14-18. The models sported couture, from both up and coming designers like Danielle Liane and Miss Lacy, and established design houses such as Anna Scholz, Carolyn de la Drapiere, Jill Alexander, Ilda Di Vico Couture Milliner, and The House of Scarlet. Kelly Knox, winner of BBC 3’s Britain's Missing Top Model, wearing Renaissance Couture Brighton closed the high-fashion show. A fantastic After Party was donated by Luigi Consoli of Queensberry Club in South Kensington. A full list of sponsors, designers and media partners can be found at http://www.modelsofdiversity.org/curvesincouture

All proceeds from the show benefit East Grinstead-based Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, a unique charity that teaches parents of brain-injured children how to deliver The Scotson Technique (TST), a drug-free respiratory-based exercise to help nourish the brain with extra oxygen that it needs for more normal development. The technique, developed by Linda Scotson after 15 years of research into breathing and recovery of function after brain injury, helps children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism and other neurological conditions. The charity was founded in 1996 by Linda Scotson who is the pioneer of The Scotson Technique. http://www.advancecentres.com Registered Charity 1026049

Thanks to The Advance Centre for The Scotson Technique, 18-year-old Tatijana Hall-Roberts from Thurston in Suffolk, whose life was previously restricted by epilepsy and other neurological problems, is now a talented student of fashion design. Tatijana was present at the event, as was Cllr Liz Bennett, East Grinstead's deputy mayor.

In the middle of the proceedings, in between the catwalk shows, Linda Scotson said a few words about her charity and played a short video on the wonderful work it does. It showed that some children with cerebral palsy who are unable to sit at age 2 can still gain full walking ability as a result of The Scotson Technique. This was illustrated by footage of Alex Newton's first independent steps, aged 6, and Linda's son Doran, who now runs half marathons. It also showed Sam Perkins who has hemiplegia, using his affected arm and leg with increasing ease and normality.

"I am enormously grateful to Angel Sinclair for her passionate support of Advance, which is helping to raise the charity into the public eye and to bring hope and encouragement to so many more families with disabled children," said Linda Scotson.

Advance would also like to thank the family of Sebastian Burger whose company L'Isola Buona in Brighton donated their delicious Mediterranean-style sandwiches for the models. Sebastian, who has cerebral palsy, has also greatly benefited The Scotson Technique.

Models of Diversity, founded by former model Angel Sinclair (also the founder of Sinclair Management) is a London-based non-profit organization which advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all races, ages, shapes, sizes, abilities, genders and sexual orientations. Their mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling! Their campaign was founded to stand for equal rights and opportunities within the modelling and fashion industry. MoD is officially backed by the British Fashion Council and has joined with Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone for the government’s campaign on body confidence. http://www.modelsofdiversity.org http://www.sinclairmanagement.co.uk

For more information, please contact:
Linda Scotson
Founder
Advance Centre
..for The Scotson Technique
The Bradbury House
6 Station Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1DJ
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1342 311137
info@advancecentres.com
http://www.advancecentres.com

See additional coverage by:

• Daily Mail
• Just as Beautiful
• Vogue Italia
• Max Pictures
• Entertainmentwise
• The Sun
• Mr Paparazzi
• Plus Size Tall
• Santa Cruz Patch
• Madison Plus
• Boombands
• A Rose Like This
• Carolyn de la Drapière
• House of Scarlet
• Pocket Rocket Fashion
• Cllr Steve Beasant
• Style Has No Size
• Anna Scholz
• Leila King
• Bubblegum Events
• Rubenisstas
• Diversity Show by Alessandro Capoccetti
• Curves in Couture by Alessandro Capoccetti
• Flyer Newspaper
• Sussex Living Magazine
• Fierce Fat and Fashionable
• FullerFigureFullerBust