Fashion show at Flax Mill

The historic Flax Mill in Derrylane, Gortnaghey, will transform it's interior into a catwalk for mill owner and chief-weaver Marion Baur to show off her unique designs.

"After last year's very successful fashion show and an exceptionally busy year for County Derry's only linen-weaving mill, the gathering of friends, journalists and linen-lovers from near and indeed very far away just one day before the beginning of spring, looks to set the pace and trend for the coming season," Hermann Barr.

Speaking ahead of the show on March 20, Marion Baur said: "All the new designs will be made from natural fibres only, no synthetics here. That's nothing new and we will also stick to our ban on raw materials which we even suspect might have child- or sweat shop labour involved in their production."

Linen will be the dominant fabric in Flax Mill's 2010 collection, accomplished by fibres such as pure merino-wool, silk, mohair and of course the best of Irish lambs-wool.

"Somebody asked me last week what the trendy colours for the coming year are. I could not really answer that question, we don't follow any trends. What I can say is that black and red will be much in the centre of our new range of finished products," she said.

Marion Baur is not alone when it comes to designing exclusive clothes.

Award-winning textile designer Sarah Morrison from Derry has recently been devoting most of her energy to designing for Magee, Donegal's famous textile makers. But the winner of the Irish design award will certainly have some input into the new creations by Flax-Mill.

Tina Campbell (formerly Tina Chong), the famous London-born designer who is now based in Hollywood, County Down has been working with linen made by Flax Mill during recent months.

"We are delighted that Tina is designing a few pieces exclusively for our fashion show. She's just incredible when it comes to nice clothes," said Marion.

As every year, Flax-Mill declined several offers to hold the fashion-show in Belfast, this time even an organiser from Berlin had to take no for answer.

"Here in the Roe Valley we make the cloth and the clothes and we think that's where we should show our new products first," said Marion. Whilst the attending guests of this year's fashion show will be of the usual multi-cultural make-up with people from Germany, Denmark, France and South Africa having already announced their visit, there is a big change in the models.

For the first time only local models will be on the cat-walk, which Marion says is in praise of local talent.

"There are so many talented people with great taste and appreciation for locally made textiles in this area that we decided to use Northern Irish models only this time."

Fiona Baur, Marion's 22-year-old daughter, will be showing the ladies clothes. Whilst she is not new to the catwalk, she is going to share the job with a 'new face', Lorraine Hartin from Dungiven.

Callum Mc Ilwaine (19) from Belfast is going to model the men's clothes. The fashion show starts at 1 pm on Saturday, March 20.

Marion advises interested show goers to get in touch immediately at 02877742655 or email [email protected].

"Though it's our private event, we have always tried to make room for anyone interested. But space is very limited and the interest even bigger than in previous years – getting in touch very soon is a must this time," she added.