Search for Newcastle's most retro stylish - Generations of Style

Generations of Style is a new addition to NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week calendar, a competition NE1 is launching in conjunction with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Newcastle City Library to explore what the city’s fashionistas wore throughout previous generations. People of Newcastle are being encouraged to upload photos of themselves, their friends or members of their family cutting a dash in the fashions of the time – all before 1990.   A Flickr account has been set up to house this retro photo album and can be located at http://www.flickr.com/groups/generationsofstyle/ Generations of Style runs until 1 May.  People can upload as many photos as they like as long as they have copyright of the image. NE1 wants people to flick through their photo albums and show how fashionable Newcastle has been through the decades uploading their images on to the site for the opportunity to win NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week prizes and be part of the hall of fashion fame which will be displayed at Newcastle City Library throughout NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week from 11-18 May. Entries will be judged by a fashionable team made up of Sandra Tang, NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week Coordinator, Anna Forster, presenter on Magic AM radio, Carolyn Ball of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Sharon Reeve, Newcastle City Library.   5 winning finalists will be chosen and will have their fashion photos enlarged and displayed in an exhibition in the Atrium of Newcastle City Library.  The public will be encouraged to vote for their favourite with prizes galore for the winner. Anyone unfamiliar with scanning and uploading images can also learn a new skill by popping into the city library where the staff will be able to instruct them in how to scan and upload their photos onto Flickr. Sandra Tang, organiser of NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week explained: “We’re really excited about this year’s NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week event and are hoping to unearth some key looks and fashionistas of yesteryear.  People of Newcastle hunt out your old, stylish photos of friends, family and show us your fashion looks through the ages.  Anyone who doesn’t know how to use Flickr can get help and learn a new skill at Newcastle City Library.” Anna Forster, Magic AM radio presenter said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as one of the Generations of Style judges. I already have some family photos in mind featuring some fabulous retro styles, some of which are now back in fashion! I can’t wait to look through your entries to reminisce on key trends from the past”. Carolyn Ball, of Tyne & Wear Archives, said: "The photographs in our Archive span the centuries of fashion from the 19th century right up to the present day. I hope they'll inspire people to enter their own vintage fashions into the competition!" David Fay, City Libraries' Manager commented: "We are delighted to be a venue for NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week hosting complementary events and welcoming Newcastle's cutting edge fashionistas into the iconic City Library" As a starting point, NE1’s Newcastle Fashion Week coordinator, Sandra Tang has located a photograph of her late father in the 1970s cutting a dash in a sharp suit. For inspiration Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums have scoured their archives to provide images of stylish people in Newcastle, these can be viewed at the Generations of Style Flickr account.