Brunch, bubbles and the ‘mother of all makeovers’ – Gok set to unleash his magic on capital’s women
Loveable fashion guru Gok Wan is about to help Welsh women with their dressing dilemmas over brunch. Bronwen Weatherby meets the stylist to find out more...
Celebrity stylist and TV presenter Gok Wan is bringing his newest fashion venture to Cardiff tomorrow with his Fashion Brunch Club, an event he describes as “the rugby for women”.
Ladies who brunch will be treated to an up-close and personal experience with the man himself, benefiting from his years as a fashion guru to millions of women.
Taking place in the New House Country Hotel in Cardiff from 11am3pm, tomorrow’s event will combine a five-star brunch and plenty of bubbles (yes, prosecco) with two fashion shows featuring spring/summer lines from local boutiques and designers.
There will also be a body-shape masterclass, a Q&A session with Gok and one lucky lady will even be given a Gok-style revamp, aptly-named the “mother of all makeovers”.
Visiting Cardiff this spring along with Leeds, Worcester, Northumberland, Nottingham and Sheffield, Gok aims to shine a light on all the fabulous clothing and stores on offer in these unique cities.
“I am absolutely thrilled to bring my Fashion Brunch Clubs to so many great places this year and hope that people will take the chance to get all my fashion tips in a more intimate setting. There will be something for everyone’s taste,” Gok promised.
“We will have 140 outfits on the catwalk, so there will be a lot of visual shopping going on.
“A body shape masterclass, which is exactly what I do on television, and then we’ll be giving one lady the mother of all makeovers and that will just be someone we choose randomly from the audience. “Then, at the end of the second catwalk show, she’ll be revealed. And when I mean the ‘mother of all makeovers’ I mean hair, makeup and everything else. Who doesn’t love a makeover?” As a passionate supporter of independent stores, Gok believes Cardiff has a lot to offer to the fashion world outside of London. “The brunch is a celebration of all things, especially local fashion,” he enthused. “What we mean by that is, we have the whole day to have a glamorous time but, most importantly, we go into different areas of Cardiff and use local designers and local makeup. “There are pockets like this of fashion all over the country, it doesn’t always have to be about London,” he said. “There are really talented people who get no limelight, don’t get a spot at London fashion week, so it’s a real celebration of them, it’s very positive.” But what was it that made Gok want to host an event here in the Welsh capital? “Cardiff has it’s own identity when it comes to fashion,” he said. “It has a large vintage community, as well as a young population, because of the universities, who want to expand with their look. I would say Cardiff fashion overall is slightly more relaxed than some places and slightly more unique than others.
“We made sure we were covering as much of the country as possible and we wanted to go further afield than just going to Manchester or London.
“When I think of Wales, Cardiff is the first place I think of and it’s that Celtic blood too.
“I just know when I come to Cardiff the audience is going to really get involved and have fun.”
When asked if there were any Welsh fashionistas he particularly admired, he said: “I don’t really follow celebrity fashion but a Welsh person who springs to mind for me is probably Katherine (Jenkins). She loves the contours and the curves so I would have to say her.”
Gok and his team have handpicked the stores they are featuring in the fashion brunch, and to satisfy Cardiff’s love of retro there will be a “vintage edge” to the clothing.
“We had to steer away from using vintage stores because they have one-off pieces and it wouldn’t be fair to the ladies if they were all fighting over one item,” he said laughing.
By popular demand, the two fashion shows will cover all bases from lingerie to bridal to classic occasionwear and even slightly more casual looks.
However, despite the elegant brunch and hoards of clothing, Gok believes that the body shape masterclass is when the audience really joins in and becomes a part of the show.
“When we do the body shape masterclass that’s when the audience comes alive,” he said.
“People are screaming from the audience and we get people on stage. That’s the part where people become more vocal because everyone can relate to it, everyone has a body.
“Understanding your body is really important,” Gok added.
“We have to have a relationship with our body. There will always be bits you don’t like and bits you do like showing off but, ultimately, people want to find confidence in themselves and look their best.”
Audience participation and reactions to transformations are what has made Gok’s TV shows and events so memorable and heartwarming, and it is what he believes makes the day so fun.
“I really love the stories you hear from women,” he said.
“The minute you scratch beneath the surface, everyone has got a backstory and with the makeovers especially, when you see them transform it’s amazing.
“You get a real mixture of reactions, a lot of women just can’t believe their eyes and then there are the ones that just start screaming and shouting as if there aren’t 200 people in the room with them. The reactions are always fun,” he said.
There are still tickets on sale, and Gok encourages any woman who wants a fun and fabulous day out to come along.
“It’s for everyone out there who wants to have a relaxing but very fun and glamorous day out, who wants to get their confidence boosted and have a great time while doing it.
“It’s also the perfect excuse to step out into the new season and get together with some friends.
“Grab all your friends, mums, aunties or whoever, get glammed up for the day and come say hello.”
Tickets, priced at £65, are available to buy from Gok’s website at www. gokfashion.com