Vintage at Goodwood – celebrating five decades of British cool

The festival at the Goodwood Estate near Chichester is the brainchild of designers Geraldine and Wayne Hemingway MBE of Red or Dead fame and Lord March, the mastermind behind the internationally-acclaimed Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. The festival was curated by some of the country’s leading music, fashion, design and vintage experts to be the first celebration of creative British cool, which will hopefully become and annual event.

Wayne Hemingway spoke of the event as “Vintage at Goodwood will bring something fresh and unique to a summer festival circuit. It re-unites music, fashion and culture, that is unashamedly about dressing up rather than down. There has been nothing to date like Vintage.”

First stop as you entered the festival site was a huge sign dubbing the event “The Festival of our Lives”, as you walked under the sign and on to the red carpet it was like stepping onto a film set. Vintage cars greeted festival goers, and the entrance was awash with glamourous people who had clearly made and effort for their day at Vintage at Goodwood.

Vintage at Goodwood, the Festival of our Lives

The High Street was the central area, with a the first stop being the Beauty Box, a hair and beauty area with Jemma Kidd Makeup School and Simplicity Remastered recreating that perfect vintage look. Two lovely ladies who had already created their look were Debbie Hurran and Shereen Shimmin, both from London who looked divine in perfect summer vintage attire.

Debbie Hurran & Shereen Shimmin excited about the day ahead, and a couple relaxing after a day of Vintage inspired fun

Also on the main thoroughfare was the Sunday Times Style Studio and some great British classic stores such as John Lewis, Dr Martens, The Body Shop and Penguin Books. The High Street was also home to the Fashion Pavilion, where the catwalk shows take place and a Vintage Cinema showing a great collection of British classic films.

Future Vintage

At the Now & Forever exhibition on the High Street and a theme for one of the afternoon catwalks was Future Vintage, what will “vintage” be like in thirty years? The concept looks at a collection of objects chosen by people from the worlds of TV, culture, design and science and what they think will be “vintage” by 2035. From fashion disasters (think Crocs and Uggs) to classic success (Mr Men books) what will be considered retro, cool and timeless in our future. It was certainly an interesting concept and provoked much thought.

Crocs & Ugg, are they future vintage?

The review of the Future Vintage catwalk show can be found here.

Pop up stores and fabulous outfits

Alongside the main High Street were the 2468 Motorway, Penny Lane and Electric Avenue that hosted an amazing array of pop up shops. Gently Worn Vintage, a fabulous vintage company from Tunbridge Wells in Kent had a great range of outfits and accessories for any lover of vintage to get excited about and told LadyM Presents that they are looking forward to opening their store in the town at the end of September.  Whilst Milliner Kate Underdown, with a superb collection of hats and head pieces said it ” was great to learn about what the customer wants and that everyone who comes to the event appreciates quality”. Kate is one of a eleven Milliners in the Hat Collective who have a pop up shop in Kingley Court off Carnaby Street, London until the end of August.

Some of the fabulous outfits on display

Outfits seen throughout the day ranged from the 40′s Land Girls with scarves in their hair and superb military outfits to a lot of maxi dresses being on parade in Sixties soulful prints. Also a lot of faux firs and tea dresses with amazing hair accessories for the ladies whilst the gentlemen looked very at ease on the Goodwood Estate, suited and booted for an afternoon of shooting or slicked back hair and velvet blazers hailing from the Seventies, ready for the dance floor.

Music at Vintage at Goodwood

The lineup at the festival was inspirational from world renowned DJ’s and bands from each decade to contemporary artists such as the Noisettes who headlined the Main Stage on Saturday. Around the site as well as the main stage were five on site clubs recreating decades in British history. From the Torch Club, a 1940′s style nightclub with a dancefloor, stage and restaurant to the Let it Rock tent, the Leisure Dome or the Soul Casino, a two room venue replicating a mid 1970′s Mecca Ballroom. Not forgetting tucked away in the corner the fabulous retro 70′s and 80′s Warehouse and Roller Disco. It was certainly an entertaining sight to see fabulous vintage style dresses moving rapidly around the roller disco dance floor to some 80′s classics, and the people within reliving their youth.

The Retro Roller Disco

Vintage at Goodwood – a great success

The festival, perfect for the whole family with enough to keep the children entertained and the opportunity to have a retro day trip or a weekend of camping and live music.  With the backing of music turned fashion icon Lily Allen and mother and daughter duo Pearl and Daisy Lowe for their Soundtrack of our Lives fashion show, the fashion side of the festival was a great success.

On Sunday Wayne Hemingway seemed delighted with the success of the event and when asked about next year he said “we will have to regroup and decide if it will be annual or maybe biannual”, but he seemed very content with the turnout. For him the main focus was the music and creating a really good atmosphere and vibe to emulate the ultimate British cool.

Wayne Hemingway, talking to the press