Let's meet... Lola Royle, stylist for Nottingham Fashion Week

Nottingham Fashion Week takes place 22 – 30 April 2016, and we caught up with the official stylist for the event, Lola Royle, to find out about exciting plans for this fashion celebration, and why she rates Nottingham as a top style city... Tell us about your role with Nottingham Fashion Week? This will be my third year working with Nottingham on its fashion event. I love Nottingham and the retailers are amazing. Nottingham Fashion Week will showcase 50 retailers from across the city, with a spotlight on spring/summer collections. This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever before, and we’ve got lots of exciting plans including Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine helping to host the week, and new additions such as plus size models. We’re really upping the fashion stakes this year, and best of all everything on the catwalk is available to buy from local retailers. What kind of trends can we expect to see on the catwalk? We’re focusing on six key trend themes this year, so there really is something for everyone. Nauticaluxe is a nautical-inspired theme with plenty of stripes and a bit of sparkle. Think jazzy dresses with stripes and bold colours. Things you can dress up for an occasion or wear every day with trainers and a bomber jacket for a relaxed look. Monochrome is also big – it can be classic but also quite edgy. Dreamweaver has a 70s boho vibe, perfect for the festival season. Think fringing, suede and denim. Other themes will be Botanicals, Think Pink and Colour Clash. Is it only ladies fashion? It’s a mix of looks for men and women, and we’ll also have plus size models so people can see wearable styles no matter what size or shape they are. We’ll also be mixing things up in terms of the kind of retailers featured – everything from high street names to independent designers, charity shops and vintage shops. We’ve got the largest number of retailers ever involved this year, and it will be a super sleek production. What do you think of Nottingham as a style destination? I love Nottingham for fashion, the city as a whole oozes style. There is a real quirky edginess to the city, thanks to the mix of people who work here and the students. Whenever I visit I’ll always see people as I walk around and think ‘I love that outfit!’. It’s a real fashionista city and also really friendly. Find out more at: www.itsinnottingham.com