From the Pit to the Pages: Joining the Official Press Team for Cheshire Fashion Week 2025


I turned up early afternoon and checked in to a cathedral that was already buzzing - riggers on ladders, dress bags gliding past, PR teams on comms, and photographers claiming their slice of the pit. The kind of low-light, high-energy runway environment that makes a fashion photographer grin and double-check batteries. I met some amazing shooters, swapped a few settings secrets, and then did what we all do before a big show: tested the kit, learned the light, mapped the sightlines.

This venue was a challenge in the best possible way - Cathedral scale, pools of tungsten and shafts of cool daylight, with the runway drawing a silver river through the nave. I dialled in fast Hi Continuous Shooting , rode ISO confidently at 1600, and leaned into that sweet spot between motion and crispness. Back-button focus, continuous AF, 1/250–1/320 where it counted, and a tasteful shutter drag for those dreamy fabric swishes. It’s where craft meets instinct; you feel the show as much as you photograph it.

 

Model walks runway in strapless black feathered mini dress with tulle detail during fashion show.
A dancer in a flowing white tulle dress performs an elegant pose during a fashion show on a warmly lit runway.
A fashion model poses in a shimmering emerald green strapless dress against a purple-lit backdrop during a runway show.
Audience members seated in rows at a live performance venue with warm lighting and exposed brick walls.
Fashion model wearing dramatic black strapless dress with voluminous textured neckline detail on runway. Fashion Photographer Martin Japheth
A woman in a strapless silver gown poses elegantly in a formal setting with warm lighting. Fashion Photographer Martin Japheth
Model in white strapless gown strikes elegant poses during fashion show with warm lighting and blurred background. Fashion Photographer
A panoramic view of a fashion show audience sitting in front of a brick wall backdrop. Fashion Photographer Martin Japheth
Model walks runway in futuristic black and white outfit with sunglasses during fashion show. Fashion Photographer Martin Japheth

 

Opening Notes & Studio Sculpture

The show opened with Liam Brandon Murray - a British designer crafting wearable sculptures with conceptual intent.

Think Jesus Christ Superstar meets Transformers! Architecture you can move in: forms that challenge the silhouette, detail that demands close-ups, and movement that rewards anticipation. It set the tone for a night where fashion wasn’t just worn; it was performed. And what a roster.

Twelve designers. Over 120 models. A kaleidoscope of aesthetics, textures, and stories, including:

  • Unblemished by Cherice
  • ILZA, UK
  • Fiona Troy
  • Andrea Harrison Designs
  • Misty Couture
  • DUJAMAISVU
  • Robes And Blings By Akokomali
  • Sarah Moore Designs
  • Bon de Pho
  • Pearl-Marie Creations
  • Madisyn Rose London
  • Sperrin Design

Backstage was equal parts theatre and logistics - the hush before first looks, the quick switch from sneakers to stilettos, steamers whispering, stylists tuning the line. Out front, the pit hummed. You clocked cues: the turn points, the lingering glance, the micro-pause at the cameras. You read the choreography and you respect the angles, because editorial-grade runway work is a team sport.


PR Influencers, People, and the Pulse of the Night

  • The show’s PR partner Sintillate Talent were out in force. Post-show I caught up with their CEO, Sinan Sahin - great conversation about creative alignment, elevating regional fashion to national platforms, and the kind of agile content brands need in 2025: runway immediacy, editorial narrative, and campaign-ready assets that move seamlessly from social to print.


What I Shoot (And Why It Lands With Editors)

  • My approach blends documentary timing with editorial polish. I’m looking for three things in every frame:
  • Silhouette & Story: The shape comes first; the story arrives when light hits detail - embroidery, texture, line.
  • Kinetic Cleanliness: Movement with intention. Crisp eyes, expressive fabric. If it doesn’t read in a split second, it won’t sing on a spread.
  • Light That Feels Designed: Cathedrals test you. I balance available light with subtle flash shaping when it adds honesty - not glare.


Deliverables I craft for designers, PR, and magazines

  • Runway sets with full looks, hero selects, and detail macros
  • Backstage narratives (beauty, fittings, first-look beats)
  • Editorial stories on location or in studio-concept notes, shot lists, moodboards included
  • Lookbooks & e-com refreshes with consistent colour, angle discipline, and quick turnaround
  • Social-first verticals (Reels/TikTok-ready) and web hero banners that actually load beautifully.


Why Book Me for Your Next Editorial or Campaign

  • Low-light native: I thrive in venues where light is a character, not a crutch. Expect clean skin tones and true fabric colour.
  • Editor-friendly curation: I deliver tight, narrative-led edits your comms team can drop straight into pitches, decks, and press packs.
  • Brand literacy: I listen for the why behind your collection, then translate that into frames that fit your voice - minimal retouch where possible, bold when it serves the concept.
  • Mobile studio setups + UK-wide travel: Studio portraits, beauty, editorial sets - then out to cathedrals, mills, rooftops, and streets when the collection asks for it.


Let’s Build Your Story

Whether you’re a designer ready to launch, a PR team shaping a press narrative, or a magazine commissioning a concept shoot, I’d love to collaborate. I’m booking editorials, lookbooks, and campaign work now for AW25 / SS26. We can scale from lean agile crews to full production with styling, HMUA, and set build.


See a first look from the night: gallery highlights are rolling out on Instagram - @martin.japheth

Enquiries & bookings: DM me on Instagram or drop a message to set up a quick creative call.


Fashion is better when it moves - on the runway, on the street, and on the page. If you need imagery that carries your collection from showtime to shelf talkers and spreads, let’s make something that lives beyond the night.


 

White text displaying 'Cheshire Fashion Week' against a blurred reddish-brown architectural background.
Fashion models walk the runway at a bridal fashion show featuring elegant white wedding gowns and evening wear.
Dancers in formal attire perform elegant ballroom dance moves on a patterned floor during a special event.
In Association with
Black and white text image showing CHESHIRE FASHION WEEK repeated in a stylized, horizontal pattern.