Fashion Show with a Difference

Taking place hot on the heels of London Fashion Week, Back Up’s Front Row fashion show takes to the catwalk on September 24.

The show, at London’s historic Battersea Arts Centre, will redefine what it means to take to the runway, celebrating inclusive and adaptive fashion and models with lived experience.

It will also raise funds to support Back Up’s work to empower people affected by spinal cord injury to unlock new possibilities, build confidence, and live life to the full.  

Curated by fashion consultant Lisa Wisdom, the show features a diverse line-up of models, including individuals with spinal cord injuries. Some of the models are wheelchair users, while others use mobility aids. Among them will be actor George Robinson, known for his role in the dystopian drama Silo and hit Netflix series Sex Education.

George (pictured above at last year's show) was paralysed in a rugby accident while on a school rugby tour in South Africa aged 17.  Back Up was there to support him and his family with confidence-boosting courses and mentoring.

Spinal cord injury can happen to anyone, at any time. Every two hours, someone’s life in the UK changes forever due to a spinal cord injury. And today, around 105,000 people across the UK are living with the effects of spinal cord injury.

Adaptive fashion is designed with hidden modifications to be easier, more comfortable and safer to wear. Features such as magnetic buttons, Velcro, snap fasteners, and ring-pull zippers for instance replace standard small buttons and laces. While trousers and skirts might feature higher back rises and side-seam waist adjustments tailored for wheelchair users.

"Back Up supported me after my spinal cord injury, so it's a charity that means a great deal to me personally,” said George Robinson.

“I'm delighted to be returning to model at the Front Row Fashion Show, which is always such a positive celebration of confidence, inclusion and individuality. The charity's work helps people navigate life after spinal cord injury and realise that their ambitions don't end because of their injury. I'm proud to help shine a light on the incredible work Back Up does every day."

This year’s show will feature three catwalk shows from adaptive and sustainable brands Intotum, Unhidden, May Marigold and Recondition, plus pre-loved luxury from Designer Exchange.

Tickets for Front Row are available here: https://www.backuptrust.org.uk/get-involved/special-events/front-row-event