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RWC Strike A Pose: An Interview with fashion show front-women Mia & Amy


On March 7th, Liverpool’s iconic Invisible Wind Factory was transformed into a catwalk of creativity for ‘Strike a Pose’, a fundraising event curated by friends Mia and Amy in support of the charity Refugee Women Connect.


The evening brought together 11 rising fashion designers from across Merseyside, each weaving powerful stories into their collections. Among the standout names were Charlie Supastar, Holly Beasley, Colette Castellon, Samir Edwards-Sutton, Louise Morgan, Charlie Ann Buxton, Freya May, and Giina Ferguson - each presenting a series of looks from their latest collections.



The show wasn’t just about style, it was about how the city of Liverpool can come together for a cause. Refugee Women Connect supports asylum-seeking women, giving them much needed hands-on support, and providing vital access to social justice. ‘Strike a Pose’ became more than a runway, it became a movement, raising over £9,000 to support the organisation’s ongoing work across the city.

We caught up with Mia and Amy to talk about the friendship that sparked it all, the months of behind-the-scenes hustle, and whether ‘Strike a Pose’ is destined to return in the near future…


How did you two meet?



"After bumping into each other on the streets of Budapest 2 summers ago, we recognised each other from our lecture theatres. We were surprised it took us so long to properly cross paths, because once you got us talking, we just couldn’t stop. We’re now in our third year of studying medicine, and have absolutely loved calling Liverpool our home for the last three years. Outside of our degree, we’ve always shared a love for the arts, which we don’t always get the chance to express."



Why a fashion show?


"Why not? We both love fashion, and both have a background in different arts, which we are not always able to express through our degree. Throughout our time living in Liverpool, it quickly became clear to us that this city has something special when it comes to creative communities. We love going to gigs, shows and salsa nights together, but we hadn’t yet explored Liverpool’s fashion avenues. We have been volunteering for Refugee Women Connect since September. Our role in the charity is to organise fundraising events. We’ve both had friends involved in university fashion shows and we couldn’t understand why Liverpool, a city so rich in creativity, didn’t already have an established charity fashion show. It felt like the perfect opportunity to bring together students and locals, celebrate fashion, and raise awareness for a charity we care deeply about."



How long was ‘Strike a Pose’ in the works?


"In early October, we were on a walk in Sefton park and Mia brought up the idea of a fashion show to fundraise for RWC. Neither of us can do things half hearted, which can be both a blessing and a curse, so from then on it all kind of snowballed. There was a month of trying to find a name that neither of us hated, navigating canva, designing a brand, and hunting down the perfect venue. Strike a pose started as an idea between two friends, we didn’t have a name for ourselves and we ran into a lot of challenges on the way. Being a female led refugee charity had its benefits, the communities of Liverpool were so willing to help and support our cause. However, it’s also had its downfalls. It is undeniable that bigger corporations will underestimate two twenty year olds, who are charity volunteers, and have no background in fashion or events management. Despite this, our main takeaway from creating Strike a pose was the generosity of Liverpool creatives, and how kind and welcoming communities have been to us."



Favourite part about the night?


"We loved every minute of the day. From the backstage craziness, to being up on the invisible wind factory stage in front of hundreds of people. The thing that we are most proud of is giving our designers the platform to showcase their work. The feedback we have received about the opportunities the show created for our designers, aspiring makeup artists, backstage volunteers and dressers has really moved us. This show became bigger than we could have ever imagined. It gave local people the chance to work on something where they could gain experience in a safe environment that was so full of love and support."



Can we expect anything else fashion related from RWC in the future?


"We’d say you should keep your eyes peeled and watch this space! There have been talks of a Strike a Pose reappearance…. we can neither confirm nor deny! The show was such a beautiful way of bringing the city together through uniting local creatives. It provided a platform for such talent to be showcased and shone a light on a charity with such a meaningful impact , it would be a shame to not repeat such a success….. right?"



This interview was featured in Destined Magazine: Indentity issue - You can purchase a phsyical copy of the magazine here


Special thank you to Mia and Amy for agreeing to take part in this interview.



Interview by Aleisha Petafi

 
 
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