MLPR - Marie Louise Public Relations.

The cool Chica Boutique fashion store has teamed up with the Art against Knives charity to present a one night only fashion show. The festive period will soon be beginning with leading London models showcasing a fabulous array of must-have Christmas party dresses.

The fashion show will take place in East London’s fashionable shopping area Spitalfields on the 24th November at 7.00pm.

Chica Boutique  fashion store, has been favoured by A-listers such as Beyonce, Alexandra Burke and Geri Halliwell. By combining a collection of gorgeous dresses with a festive atmposphere, Chica boutique hopes to raise money for London’s Art against Knives charity.

Art Against Knives was set up by ex-Chica Boutique girl, Katy Dawe to reduce the root causes of knife crime through youth-led arts initiatives that provide an alternative to violent gang culture.   This charitable organisation, which has been working very successfully with Couture Lab and has gained a fantastic following from celebs such as Tracey Emin, Christopher Kane and Jefferson Hack, will also have art work on display and available for purchase on the evening.

There are only 200 tickets available with complimentary standing opportunities. If you want to secure yourself a place and get your hands on tickets for this exclusive event simply head on down to the Spitalfields store or call on 0207 247 9700. Do book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment; this is a festive event not to be missed!

On top of the fashion show and exhibition, the lucky attendees will have the opportunity to win an amazing array of prizes and treats from some of the local businesses, including Benefit make up, by taking part in the raffle.

Friday night saw the gorgeously girly boutique, Chica, host a fashion, art and music extravaganza in London’s East End.  Based in Spitalfields, the plush, girly and uber luxurious store was transformed into a bohemian, flower-filled festival, all in aid of the charity, Art Against Knives.  Set up by Chica boutique employee, Katy Dawe, the charity was founded after Katy’s friend, and fellow art student, Oliver Helmsley, was stabbed in an unprovoked attack in east London back in 2008.  Leaving the 21 year old paralysed and in need of constant medical support for the rest of his life, the friends are now working together to raise awareness of knife crime through the medium of art. 

Based in and around the Chica store, the bijous shop heaved with flowers, ribbons and pastel hued lanterns, spreading outside to where a stage and retro Routemaster were stationed.  The bus, suitably spruced up with blooms, multicoloured hula hoops and a giant, Art Against Knives banner, housed a carefully curated exhibition, showing some of London’s brightest young artists.  As we negotiated our way around the bus and up the narrow stairs, tunes from the house band rung out across the space, as we sipped on comp cocktails and perused the quirky, controversial, and highly skilled art work on display. 

Rammed with cool Hoxtonites and young professionals alike, the event was jam packed and ran like clockwork, as efficient staff, dressed up in super glamorous Chica dresses, whizzed through the crowd with drinks and nibbles for the partygoers.  Bringing the spirit of the Sixties back to the East End with a bang, it was a brilliantly positive event to come from such a tragic story, and we can’t wait to see what the charity has planned next.

Fiona Anderson