For example, three Fittie neighbours have joined forces to host the Fabulous Fittie Fashion Festival to champion female entrepreneurs from Aberdeen and raise funds for an ADHD charity.

The event is organised by Laura Mears-Reynolds with the help and support from Gray’s School of Art student Dawn Farmer, and Lesley Anne Rose, co-founder of Open Road – a north-east company dedicated to developing and mentoring creative talent in the region.

Fabulous Fittie Fashion Festival will welcome Aubin Stewart of Aubin Jewellery, who uses sea glass in her work, as well as Lucia Gasparidesova whose small business Prolong turns items destined for landfill into backpacks and bags.

Laura – the event organiser and owner of Hathor – will sell attention-grabbing festival accessories. Her designs were previously worn by the likes of model and actor Cara Delevingne as well as musician Fatboy Slim.

Laura said: “I wanted to create an event for creatives like me and make it very festival-inspired. We’re celebrating local makers, empowering women and creating a fun environment.

“I wouldn’t be able to do this on my own at all. I’m very grateful for the support from Open Road – the team have been so fantastic.”

The anti-fast fashion event will also welcome Wardrobe Foxes Vintage, an Aberdeen-based tarot reader, and DJ Angela Michael who will play disco and house tunes at the event taking place on Saturday August 20 from 11am to 3pm at the recently renovated Fittie Community Hall.

Laura, who moved to Aberdeen because of her husband’s work in October 2020, is thrilled to be hosting the event in Fittie.

The creative said: “My husband and I were absolutely blown away by Fittie.

“As a creative person, to find such a unique community right on Aberdeen Beach was amazing.”

Following in Zandra Rhodes’ footsteps – literally

She was inspired to organise a fashion event ever since she saw Zandra Rhodes’ 50 Years of Fabulous exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery back in February.

“I happened to bump into Dame Zandra Rhodes – she was literally on my doorstep in Fittie,” said Laura.

“It’s fantastic to be able to carry on Zandra’s Aberdeen fashion mission.”

Raising funds for ADHD charity

In addition to selling sustainable pieces, Fabulous Fittie Fashion Festival will also aim to raise funds for ADHDadultUK – a UK-based charity and peer support group for adults with ADHD.

“I was having some pretty serious mental health struggles, which ended up with me being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 38,” said Laura.

“I wasn’t feeling confident with the new diagnosis but this charity helped me deal with it.

“The average age for a woman to be diagnosed with ADHD – if it missed her childhood – is 36-38, which was incredibly shocking to me, so awareness is needed of how differently the symptoms can be presented in women.”

In addition, Laura hosts a podcast called ADHD As Females with her friend and neighbour Dawn who was also recently diagnosed with ADHD. The duo will record an episode for the podcast at the Fabulous Fittie Fashion Festival.

Those attending the festival will be encouraged to scan a QR code to donate to ADHDadultUK. There will also be a raffle featuring prizes from each vendor, with funds raised divided between The Fittie Community Trust and ADHDadultUK.Read more at: (cliquez ici pour suivre le lien) | (cliquez ici pour suivre le lien)