‘The North's Answer to Gok Wan'
COULD SHEENA BRABAZON BE THE NORTH’S ANSWER TO GOK WAN?
Based in North Anston, Sheffield, Sheena Brabazon is known locally as ‘The North's Answer to Gok Wan'. From July this year, Sheena‘s experimental creativity will be helping women across Sheffield learn how to look stylish on a budget. Her Evolution Accessory workshops, the only one of their kind in the UK, will teach women how they can use accessories imaginatively to transform a basic outfit into a stunning and stylish garment.
Sheena says, "I started tweaking and modifying outfits in my early teens by experimenting with accessories, partly because the style I liked wasn't available on the high street and because I've always had to manage on a tight budget. With the rising cost of living, new accessories are among many of the items lying low on a woman's shopping list. I believe that there's never been a better time than now to share my experiences to help other women look good, for a fraction of what they'd normally spend and in a way that expresses their individuality."
While most of us wear our brooches pinned to jackets and use belts to decorate jeans or dresses, Sheena experiments creatively with many types of accessories, turning necklaces into funky belts and adding hair clips to sensible shoes to transform them into party animals. From hats and gloves to shoes and boots, the workshops help women conduct a complete makeover to an outfit through the innovative use of accessories.
Isla Denoon, Community Fundraiser from Sheffield Hospitals Charity, who recently modelled some of Sheena's creations at a South Yorkshire Heart Appeal Ladies' Night at The Rutland Hotel, Sheffield says, "Sheena has a wonderful knack of being able to determine a woman's personality and coming up with a style that's totally individual to them."
Sheena is also a great fan of materials that drape beautifully and believes that good drape makes an outfit look expensive and stylish. "I would love to accessorise the actress Charlize Theron. She's a stunningly beautiful woman, who chooses fantastic dresses for the red carpet but always leaves them looking a bit flat by either not wearing any accessories or wearing ones that are too small or too long," says Sheena.
Whatever style you want to achieve be it the boho chic of Beyonce, the eccentricity of Vivienne Westwood or the timeless elegance of Coco Chanel, there's plenty of advice at the workshops on how to look good and feel comfortable with a style that suits you. You don't have to be a slave to fashion to look stylish and Sheena hopes that apart from learning how to accessorise, the most important message women will take away from the workshops is that every woman has the capacity to look fantastic!
Evolution Accessory Workshops, run by owner Sheena Brabazon, are held at 12, Plantation Avenue, North Anston, Sheffield S25 4DA. Workshops last for two, three or four hours and are usually held on Saturdays and Sundays. Week days are available upon request. A minimum of 4 and maximum of 6 people can be catered for at the North Anston venue. Workshops can also be arranged at a venue of your choice up to a maximum of 12 people. The workshops teach women how to recognise their own unique ‘style ingredients': body shape, proportions and most importantly personality. They focus heavily on hands-on practice. Cost from £45 to £60 including free goodie bag, with an accessory the ladies choose themselves. For further information visit: evolutionaccessoryworkshops.co.uk