Unblemished By Cherice captured backstage
Andrea Harrison of Andrea Harrison Designs captured backstage
Ellen Hasson MUA from Ellen Hasson Beauty backstage
There is the show that guests see, and there is the show that happens before it. On Saturday, at the opening night of Cheshire Fashion Week at Chester Cathedral, I was fortunate enough to photograph the second one.
Backstage at a fashion show is a world of quiet intensity. While guests were still making their way toward their seats beneath the cathedral's vaulted ceiling, the real work was already well underway. Designers moved between rails of garments, steaming, adjusting and making the final decisions that only they can see. Hair stylists and makeup artists worked with a calm, practised focus, transforming faces and building looks under pressure and against the clock. Models sat in stillness in the middle of it all, gathering themselves for the walk ahead.
It is one of my favourite environments to photograph. My background is in editorial and fashion work, and backstage is where that editorial eye feels most at home. The light is unpredictable, the moments are fleeting, and nothing is staged. It is documentary photography at its purest, capturing genuine concentration, artistry and anticipation as they happen.
The setting: Chester Cathedral
Holding a fashion show inside Chester Cathedral gives the whole event a rare sense of occasion. The scale and grandeur of the space lends every image a dramatic backdrop, and the contrast between the ancient architecture and contemporary fashion is exactly the kind of tension that makes for compelling photography. Photographing here was a genuine privilege, and I am grateful to the Cheshire Fashion Week team for the accreditation and access.
The designers
The evening brought together a remarkable range of talent, from established national names to independent couturiers and bridal specialists. It was a privilege to photograph the work of:
White Stuff (@whitestuffuk), British premium women's and men's clothing
Unblemished By Cherice (@unblemishedbycherice), chic, modern and classic vintage reimagined
Original Ireland (@original_ireland), timeless designs rooted in Ireland's cultural richness
ILZA (@ilza.uk), bespoke and couture women's and men's
Mihaela Dowman (@mihaeladowman), handcrafted women's fashion with intricate details
Pearl-Marie Creations (@pmclady_), Nigerian bold fusion, eclectic and contemporary couture
Liam Brandon Murray (@liam_brandon_murray), handcrafted fine art and conceptual wearable sculpture
Exclusively by Michael Adam (@exclusivelybymichaeladam), beautiful, timeless pieces and impeccable tailoring
Angel Cuomo (@angel_cuomo_), embroidered bridal gowns with a gothic twist
Andrea Harrison Designs (@andreaharrisondesign), stunning, powerful bridal design
The bridal work
As a wedding photographer, the bridal designers held a particular fascination for me. Angel Cuomo's embroidered gowns with their gothic twist and Andrea Harrison's powerful bridal pieces are exactly the kind of craftsmanship that translates beautifully through an editorial lens. There is a natural kinship between bridal couture and wedding photography: both are about capturing a moment of transformation, and both reward close attention to detail.
The teams behind the looks
No runway look exists without the hair and makeup teams behind it. Watching the MUAs and hair stylists work backstage is a reminder that fashion is a collaborative craft, built in the quiet hours before the lights come up. My thanks and admiration go to the talented artists who created the looks on the night:
Ellen Hasson Beauty
Nidah Naqvi, Veloura Beauty
Iryna Aksanii, Hair & Makeup
Ghost Madden, Undead Dollups
Anna Cox HMUA
Nasarr, Mimesis
MarieLand Makeup & Beauty
Lindsey Armstrong Hair
Gayana, Muse by Yana
Anastasia, AT Studio Faces
Tianna Gard
Kerie Beauty
Michaela Lamara
Arooj Ahmed MUA
Emma Clair, Natural Beauty MUA
Capturing the night
For me, events like this are both a creative joy and a natural extension of the work I do photographing weddings across North Wales and Cheshire. The same editorial instinct that shapes a backstage frame is what I bring to a wedding day: an eye for real moments, considered light, and the story unfolding just outside the obvious.
My full backstage gallery and a selection of runway images from the night are below. If you were part of the show and would like any images, please do get in touch.
With thanks to Cheshire Fashion Week (@cheshirefashionweek) for having me.
