Entrepreneur Anna Grace Du Noyer will hold her next Style Swap Social sustainable fashion event in Bootle in July. Tony McDonough reports

July will see the return of Style Swap Social, a sustainable fashion event that allows people to bring along their unwanted clothing and swap for items they love.

Entrepreneur Anna Grace Du Noyer first held Style Swap Social, which also offers socialising and live music, in Wirral in 2022. Now a two-day event has been organised at the Lock and Quay venue in Bootle on July 8 and 9.

It will be one of four to be held across the Liverpool city region organised by Fierce Futures CIC, of which Anna is a director. These events incorporate a mix of live music, styling activities, and educational workshops on sustainable fashion practices.

Backed by partners and a £29,163 grant from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (and Veolia Community Fund 2023/24, Style Swap Social aims to repurpose 45.72 tonnes of textile waste over a 10-month period.

Fierce Futures is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women affected by sexual violence. Anna hopes Style Swap Social will also open up conversations about the links between trauma, poverty and fast fashion’s textile waste problem.

She said: “Our events offer a lively and super fun environment for empowering people to make informed decisions about their fashion habits, promoting a sense of community and purpose – and fostering confidence boosting creativity through fearless self expression.

“The project also offers hands-on experience in digital marketing, event management, design, and styling, further assisting those affected by trauma.”

Across the four events the aim is to engage almost 3,000 people and influence a broader audience of more than 25,000. 

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They will also provide skill-building opportunities for vulnerable women, converging environmental sustainability, community engagement, and empowerment into a single impactful initiative.

Though it addresses serious issues, organisers have promised a fun day out, when event goers will be able to enjoy music from Bootle-based initiative Gals Who Gig.

And, in partnership with Style Swap Social and Fierce Futures CIC, a new music festival that is entirely run by women – aptly named WIMIN Festival – is scheduled to take place at the same venue two weeks later.

WIMIN Festival is managed by Scrapyard Studios CIC, and designed to showcase and cultivate the talents of women in the music industry.

A partnership between Scrapyard Studios and Fierce Futures CIC has led to both organisations supporting the delivery of these two projects, with attendees encouraged to take home a festival-style outfit to wear in the fields of WIMIN Festival on July 29.

Click here for more information about the Style Swap Social Bootle event.