Vibes of the tribes
Stylist and influencer Kat Farmer came to Yorkshire this month to explain her nine fashion tribes theory. Stephanie Smith went along to Victoria Leeds to find out which one she wants to be.
YOU are in a style rut and you definitely, finally, want to break out? So maybe turning to a style icon can help. But who? Carrie Bradshaw, of Sex and the City/ And Just Like That fame, must be at the top of the list for many. Florence Welch, perhaps, or Gwen Stefani? Beyoncé? Joan Collins? Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe? OK, we might not be able to match their style icon status but perhaps choosing one or two might help us find our own fashion identity – our tribe – not least by focusing our mind on the colours, fabrics and silhouettes that we could and should be choosing for ourselves.
Kat Farmer, a fashion stylist known for
BBC1’s You Are What You Wear and ITV’s This
Morning, is on a mission to inspire people to shake up their look and find the style that works best for them.
The creator of influential Instagram and Facebook accounts Does My Bum Look 40, earlier this month she came to Yorkshire to host three days of catwalks at Victoria Leeds as part of the first Leeds Fashion Weekender.
Kat lived in Leeds for eight years, first for her degree, then staying for a job. She left in 1998, 25 years ago, but does come back to the city, which is, she says, an improved version of the wonderful place it always was.
“There is so much incredible heritage,” she adds, “but now we have an incredible range of shops that work for every budget, every shape, every style and every taste.
“I remember when I was here and there was the very first Harvey Nichols outside London and we were all so excited.”
Her book Get Changed is a practical guide to building the ultimate new wardrobe, from sorting out your current one to finding what works for your body type and your lifestyle, how to shop successfully, and picking out key wardrobe pieces that will work together.
The catwalk, staged in front of John Lewis in Victoria Gate, was set against a backdrop depicting the names and drawings of a representation of each of the nine fashion tribes that she has identified.
Various style icons fall into these tribes to help visualise the look. At the live shows, models stepped out wearing outfits from different Victoria Leeds brands, with each look fitting into one of the signature style tribes.
Victoria Leeds is the portmanteau name given to the shopping areas that includes the Victoria Quarter and King Edward Street; Victoria Gate, the contemporary mall opened in 2016; and Sidney Street, which connects the two.
It is home to Harvey Nichols, John Lewis & Partners, Boodles, Whistles, All Saints, Anthropologie, Cos, & Other Stories, Reiss, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith and many more.
Jo Coburn, Victoria Leeds’ senior general manager, said: “We’re big Kat