The Clothes Show

Not long now till I spend a week in some kind of bizarre groundhog day experience, otherwise known as The Clothes Show.

The Clothes Show Live in Birmingham NEC is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year. With Catwalk shows, tutorials, hair, beauty and fashion. The Clothes Show is a great day out for anyone interesting in clothes, fashion and SHOPPING! Buy your tickets here

Last year was the first time we'd exhibited at The Clothes Show, we'd been asked a few times before but we'd always been put off by the price, and the thought we might be a little bit lost amongst all the bigger brands. But last year we took a risk, and we were pleasantly surprised. We managed to cover our costs with a bit more besides and had a jolly enjoyable week meeting lots of lovely people from around the country and spreading the word about Me&Yu (we gave out thousands of leaflets!)

Before last year I'd not been to The Clothes Show since I was a teenager and it is still very much a place for teenage girls, but as it's expanded over the years there is a little for everyone.

We've booked again for this year (4-9th December) and we're in the same spot - in a little section catering for quirky small brands, called the Offbeat Boutique. Our tiny little stall is just 2m x 2m and it's a really tight squeeze to get everything in. Last year we were surprised at how many dresses we sold and kind of ran out. This year i'm trying to make more, but what with the massive wholesale orders, website busier than ever and now the chain store order, things have kind of got a bit behind.

This next week is going to be frantic, late nights, hand sewing in the car, pressing, finishing and packing, screaming at the overlocker as it comes unthreaded AGAIN and just generally wishing I could clone myself. What's bad this time is that I would usually be in the studio constantly but as Gordon is so busy with printing the BIG order then I have to be in the shop.

Thankfully I seem to have little helping hands in the form of Hannah, Carly, Emma, Megan, Sasha and last week Nathan, all who have been with Me&Yu for work experience. Well they've been doing everything from cutting up transfers, making monster brooches, supplying me with tea and just generally getting me to focus and just try and do one task at once! I'd be lost without them, or perhaps rocking quietly in a corner....

Here's a big THANK YOU to everyone who's helping me get through the next week. I'm sure there's already been blood (damn needles) and it is kind of looking a bit like a sweatshop in the studio this week, lets hope there will be no tears!

I might not be posting for a while - i"ll let you know how it goes.....