The new site, www.stylebirmingham.com, boasts a range of interactive features including an extensive directory of the city’s 1000 retailers, a YouTube channel featuring footage of Birmingham’s most star-studded events, guest bloggers from the world of fashion and an events calendar highlighting the places to be, and be seen, across the city.

Supported by a new advertising campaign, poster sites and Always In Style branding, the site design will change each season to reflect the latest trends. Visitors can also sign up to email alerts, SMS messages and Style Birmingham’s own Twitter feed, making it even easier to stay fashion-focussed throughout the year.

Style Birmingham, the brand that represents the city’s retail outlets, has given its flagship website a makeover to offer shoppers a more interactive retail experience.

Kevin Breese, General Manager at Harvey Nichols and Chair of Retail Birmingham’s marketing group, said: “Stylebirmingham.com is the first port of call for anyone, anywhere in the world, who is interested in coming to shop in Birmingham. Effectively, it’s the best form of window shopping that the city can offer.

“The changes to the site are designed to give visitors the most enjoyable user experience and entice even more shoppers to come and spend time in our city. Supported by the new advertising campaign, we’re confident that Birmingham will retain its position as a top style capital.”

To celebrate the launch of the new-look site, visitors to www.stylebirmingham.com are in with a chance of winning a £1,000 shopping spree to be spent in Birmingham’s retail outlets, style advice from a Retail Birmingham personal shopper, and an overnight stay at the Radisson SAS hotel.

A scheme to give parents peace of mind whilst shopping has been rolled out across Birmingham city centre in time for the half term holidays.

The Child Safe project aims to reunite lost children with their parents as quickly as possible.  Shoppers simply pick up a free wristband for their child to wear, and write their contact number in the space provided.  There is an emergency contact number – 08702 116 999 – for parents to call should they become separated, connecting to the nearest control centre where they last saw their child, who will assist in reuniting them.  Children can also approach any business with the window sticker or any Street Warden or member of the police to inform them they are lost.

Birmingham was the first city in the UK to adopt the scheme across the entire city centre area, almost 2 years ago. The scheme, now funded by Retail Birmingham, is still developing as it aims to link in with local schools.

Alan Chatham, Chair of Retail Birmingham said:  “Birmingham offers a very safe shopping environment and with measures in place such as the Street Wardens team members of the public are put at ease. 

“The Child Safe scheme is another example of this and we hope as many people as possible will make use of the free wristbands being distributed.  Birmingham is leading the way in this field and other big UK cities including Manchester and Liverpool are looking at us as an example of best practice.”

Free information leaflets and wristbands are available from a variety of outlets in the city centre including The Mailbox, Bullring, Pallasades, Centre for the Child (Central Library), Sea Life Centre, WH Smiths, and Thinktank at Millennium Point.

The city centre Street Warden team also carry wristbands and are available for advice and further information.  In the past 12 months alone they have helped reunite 42 lost children with their parents.

Retail Birmingham and the Street Wardens will be distributing information on the scheme on Friday 30th May from 1.30pm – 4.30pm at the Kiosk on High Street.

The scheme is supported by Birmingham City Centre Partnership, Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police and the Retail Crime Operation.

 For further information around the Child Safe scheme visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/childsafe or call Retail Birmingham on 0121 616 2370.

ENDS

The UK’s newest style extravaganza took over the whole of Birmingham city centre for three days, with a packed programme of activities across the city centre attracting a staggering 9,200 visitors from as far a field as London, Brighton, Manchester, Wales and Ireland. 

A 2,000m² theatre was erected in Centenary Square and was home to five sell-out catwalk shows a day hosted by international star Kelly Osbourne, while TV favourites Trinny and Susannah presented their first ever Style Academy in St. Martin’s Square with four shows each day and not a spare seat to be found.

The influx of visitors resulted in an increase in footfall to the city centre of 120% on Friday, 90% on Saturday and 178% on Sunday, spelling excellent news for businesses.

Retailers including Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Disorder, Puma, Limeys, Adidas, Joy, The Mailbox, Bullring and many others all held their own events.  Many retailers reported increases by as much as 100% in sales on the first day, compared to an average Friday and House of Fraser also reported a 90% increase in sales in its restaurant over the weekend.  

The Birmingham Post Oasis at Pavilions was transformed into a haven for those who love to be pampered.  10,000 fingernails were manicured, 1,000 women had their hair styled by Toni & Guy, and the same number received makeovers from MAC and consultations from sk:n. 

In the Centenary Square exhibition area tens of thousands of Chambord champagne cocktails were given out and low fat ice-cream producer Skinny Cow gave away more than 8,000 free frozen treats to visitors over the three days, while more than 1,000 people entered the Littlewoodsdirect.com model search as part of the Trinny and Susannah Style Academy.

The presence of top designers Betty Jackson and Osman Yousefzada as well as Vogue editor Emily Zak at Selfridges, along with entertainment from a Cirgue du Soleil style aerial trapeze act helped to tot up 3,000 canapes, 2,000 cocktails, 500 free makeovers, 100 free blow drys and 150 style lunches just in one store!

Complimentary executive coaches transported visitors around the city to ensure everyone got the most out of their style experience, and Jaguar ran a chauffer service for Platinum Pass holders.

Nigel Godfrey, Retail Birmingham Business Manager said:  “We’re thrilled that so many people came to experience Style in the City, to meet some of their favourite celebrities, see top designers showcasing their collections on the catwalk and to receive style tips from experts in every field.

“Retail Birmingham and Marketing Birmingham worked closely with Brand Events to stage the show and the city really did itself proud.  Visitors came from all around the UK, many on their first visit to Birmingham and commenting that they will extend their stay next year as there is so much to see and do here.   

“Our aim is to keep Birmingham firmly on the style map and with 1,000 shops to choose from, shopping centres, designer stores, high street brands, elegant Victorian shopping arcades and 100 individual shops, there’s plenty to shout about, and after this weekend almost 10,000 more people know that too.

“In fact the event even attracted international visitors, with a competition winner travelling all the way from Australia with 24 hours notice to meet her idols Trinny and Susannah.  Ange Stevens has been following the style gurus for years and couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet them in the flesh, even though she had to give up her job and pay for her own flights to be here!”

Style in the City will become an annual event and following the success of the weekend looks set to grow year on year.

Kevin Breese, Retail Birmingham Board Member said:  “Retail Birmingham was set up in April last year to improve the trading environment for 1,000 shops in the city centre, providing business support, street operations and marketing activities.  Retailers in the city have shared the vision to stage an event to celebrate style and fashion in Birmingham for several years and the establishment of Retail Birmingham meant that this could become a reality.  We invested much time and effort into identifying appropriate partners and planning exactly how our big idea could become a reality. 

“We are delighted that Style in the City has now been born and it’s thanks to the hard work and dedication of Birmingham’s retailers that it happened.  I’d like to congratulate everyone who took part and thank everyone who came along to help make it such a huge success.  Birmingham is a serious style capital and Style in the City has enabled us to share that with people the length and breadth of the country.  We look forward to an even bigger and better event next year.”

Motivation is key to getting fit, and with the best of intentions many a new year’s resolution fall by the wayside within the first month because we simply can’t motivate ourselves.

Style Birmingham knows that looking good means feeling good and there is an excellent choice of sportswear available in the city to help encourage you to get back into the gym.

New store Up & Running opened recently on Bennetts Hill, offering professional footwear, clothing and accessories and with the city’s scenic canal network providing the perfect route for your daily jog, the store is right at home in Birmingham.  Up & Running is also becoming a hub for information on local running clubs, events and routes.

Stella McCartney is the most recent designer to put her name to a big brand.  Her very own line for Adidas is available at the Birmingham New Street store and is guaranteed to turn heads in the changing rooms for all the right reasons!

The Gloves on Gloucester Street is really packing a punch with its specialist range of sportswear and leisure items, specialising in boxing, self defence and martial arts and the expert team can also provide advice and information on how to get involved with local clubs and training programmes. 

So now you know how to get the look, but exercise can be so boring.  Visit the Apple shop at Bullring and treat yourself to an ipod Shuffle.  Small but perfectly formed and great value for money, you can clip it on to your clothes while you’re on the treadmill or out and about running al fresco.

With lifestyle being the key word here, sports brands and stores are now also now branching out to design streetwear, try the Puma store on New Street to get the look.

It doesn’t have to just be about exercise either.  Bullring, Selfridges and the Pavilions all have their own juice bars so you can stop for healthy refreshments while you shop, which is exercise in itself isn’t it?  Count it towards your five a day and you will instantly feel pleased with yourself.

If you find it tough to get motivated it’s important to reward yourself when you do exercise, and with many gyms now offering spas and beauty treatments you can have a much deserved pampering session. 

And when you’re fit, well dressed, and well pampered, round it all off with a healthy meal at one of Birmingham’s many restaurants where you can find food from 27 different countries around the globe.

For inspiration visit http://www.stylebirmingham.com/.

Birmingham, where style icons such as Cat Deeley, Erin O’Connor, Jamelia and Emma Griffiths were discovered, is using the image of mannequins to promote the shopping and fashion credentials of the city through its Style Birmingham campaign, suggesting that all the style hungry mannequins want to go to Birmingham to get dressed.

Style Birmingham will become the voice of shopping and fashion in Birmingham, representing 1,000 shops in the city centre to raise awareness of the range and quality of shops offering everything from clothes and jewellery to gifts, stationery and homeware.

The campaign kicked off with groups of mannequins appearing around the city centre to grab people’s attention and the launch of www.stylebirmingham.com, a website dedicated to shopping in Birmingham and featuring store listings, trends, hints and tips, and celebrity profiles.

Later in the year the Birmingham Style Awards will celebrate all things stylish and in April a four day Style in the City extravaganza will showcase the best of what the city has to offer to shoppers and fashionistas.

When you think of Birmingham you’ll probably think of Bullring, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, and all of these big names are major players in the campaign, but according to Style Birmingham the city has so much more to offer.

Nigel Godfrey is overseeing the campaign on behalf of the retailers. He explained: “Birmingham is a great place for shopping and as the saying goes, if you’ve got, it flaunt it! Style Birmingham is about celebrating what fantastic shopping facilities we’ve got and encouraging more people to travel from further a field to experience it.

“Birmingham has 1,000 shops in one destination. It has 100 independent retailers in the city centre alone, and that’s what this campaign is about. It’s no longer about one shop, one street or one shopping centre competing against another, it’s about presenting the city centre as one shopping destination, positioning the quirky Victorian shopping arcades shoulder to shoulder with the retail giants and modern shopping malls.

“Whether you want designer labels, high street chic, unique one-offs or bargain brands, Birmingham has got it all.”

Here’s just a snapshot of some of the independent stores in Birmingham:

autograph.a.too, 17 Ethel StreetAfter 20 years of supplying Birmingham with high fashion Autograph and its sister store A Too still find itself as the pioneer. With numerous industry awards including FHM’s Designer Retailer of the Year, nothing has changed, personal service is paramount. Exclusisvity on brands include Dries Van Noten, Neil Barrett, Kris Van Assche, Martin Margiela ‚Äì these are just a few!

Breina, Unit 23-24 Great Western ArcadeSuperb ladies couture fashion for all ages, for day and evening wear, occasion wear a speciality.

Chouchoute Chocolaterie, Unit 40, Great Western Arcade Offers an exclusive range of handmade French chocolates and fine dessert wines for the discerning palate. Chouchoute has earned a reputation for its refined style and the vision of owner Pierre Soualah. Pure, indulgent pleasure, Chouchoute’s stunning chocolate selections are arranged in beautiful gift boxes, available for next day delivery within the UK.

Disorder, Unit 1, Needless AlleyDaring to go against brand culture, Disorder boutique stocks all things independent, handcrafted & limited. Defined as ’supercool’ by 69 Magazine and endorsed as 1 of 5 reasons to visit Birmingham by The Guardian, describing its menswear and womenswear ranges as ‘quirky’ designerwear. Disorder is unique to the city in that its label is designed and manufactured in Birmingham using mainly British fabrics only. Mark Howard, the artist is currently being commissioned by the iconic club The Que Club to showcase his art on its massive walls when it reopened in September. More fantastic labels never seen in the UK before from LA, NYC, and Europe, to join Disorder exclusively in the next coming months. The best is yet to come! Disorder is on Needless Alley, off New Street Tel: 0121 643 21 31. www.disorderboutique.com

Emma Somerset, 47/49 Wharfside Street, The MailboxStocks fashions by leading designers with outfits to suit every taste and occasion.

KU, Unit 9, Great Western ArcadeHigh fashion boutique for style conscious females. Ku is the only stockist of Elise Ryan clothing in Birmingham, as well as showcasing popular brands such as Firetrap and Full Circle.

Para-Ti (Definition: For You in Portuguese), 18/19 Burlington Arcade, 127 New StreetGrew out of the two proprietors Rick Hassell and Shabir Khan’s quest to open a store that would appeal to a diverse fashion conscious clientele, stocking stylish, individual, yet affordable clothes for men and women in a relaxed environment situated just of New Street.

Housed in a spacious, cool and contemporary store, cleans lines, raw steel fixtures and bespoke furniture coupled with music supplied from top DJ’s at the coolest bars and clubs, the scene is set for a great shopping experience.

Forward focussed and trend spotting Para-TI stocks one of the most exciting collections of exclusive underground labels (national and international) in the city.

For further details please go to www.stylebirmingham.co.uk