Celebrating Northern Fashion in 2025: The Designers and Retailers We Proudly Supported
2025 has been a landmark year for Up North Runway (UNR). It has been a year defined not by fleeting trends or short-term campaigns, but by deep, meaningful support for the designers, retailers and creative businesses that form the backbone of Northern fashion. Across Yorkshire, Lancashire and beyond, UNR has stood shoulder to shoulder with talent rooted in place, purpose and heritage.
Northern fashion is not an imitation of anything else. It is shaped by industry, by grit, by independence and by culture that has evolved over centuries of making, manufacturing and creativity. The designers and retailers we supported in 2025 represent that legacy — and the future we are committed to building.
Kay Heeley – Angel Couture
https://www.angel-couture.co.uk/
Kay Heeley is a designer who embodies everything UNR stands for: craftsmanship, authenticity and quiet confidence. Through Angel Couture, Kay creates pieces that are unapologetically individual, drawing on couture techniques while remaining wearable, expressive and rooted in real women’s lives. Her work is refined without being distant, bold without being loud.
In 2025, UNR was proud to support Kay as she continued to grow her presence as a Northern couture designer. Our collaboration was about visibility and validation — ensuring that talent of this calibre does not feel it must relocate or dilute its identity to succeed. Kay’s work is proof that world-class design can, and should, thrive in the North.
Rosie Maddison – Dorothy & Rose
Rosie Maddison represents a powerful blend of creativity, authenticity and modern Northern identity. Through her brand Dorothy & Rose, Rosie creates designs that are expressive, confident and rooted in individuality, reflecting a contemporary fashion voice that resonates far beyond the runway. Her work speaks to a generation that values storytelling, originality and emotional connection with the clothes they wear.
In 2025, UNR was proud to support Rosie not only as a designer, but as a cultural force — someone who bridges fashion, media and influence while remaining grounded in Northern values. Her success reinforces UNR’s belief that the North doesn’t just produce fashion talent — it produces leaders, storytellers and changemakers shaping the future of the industry.
Overgate Hospice
https://www.overgatehospice.org.uk
Overgate Hospice represents something deeply meaningful in the heart of Calderdale — a local institution that brings compassion, dignity and practical care to people facing life-limiting illness whilst providing invaluable support to their families and communities. As an independent charity rooted in our region, Overgate’s work goes far beyond traditional healthcare; it champions quality of life, emotional resilience and community connection at some of the most challenging moments anyone can face. In 2025, Up North Runway was proud to support Overgate, not just as a charity partner, but as a reminder that Northern talent and industry must always be connected to purpose and people.
Our collaboration with Overgate looked beyond fashion and into impact — from raising awareness of their Big Build appeal, which will expand and modernise care facilities for the future, to integrating fundraising and visibility into UNR’s year-long schedule of events and activations. Supporting Overgate this year wasn’t simply about sponsorship; it was about amplifying a cause that touches so many lives across our region and inviting our community to stand with them in solidarity, generosity and pride. In doing so, we reaffirm that great fashion not only showcases creativity — it reflects collective care and the strength of Northern communities working together.
Harveys of Halifax
https://harveysofhalifax.co.uk/
Harveys of Halifax is far more than a retailer — it is a Northern institution. With decades of heritage behind it, Harveys represents the enduring importance of independent retail on our high streets. In a time when many traditional retailers are under pressure, Harveys continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.
UNR’s support of Harveys in 2025 was a statement of intent: that independent Northern retailers matter, that heritage businesses deserve protection and promotion, and that fashion ecosystems only thrive when designers and retailers grow together. Harveys proves that longevity comes from community trust, quality and a refusal to compromise on standards.
Joe Browns
Joe Browns is one of the North’s great fashion success stories. Built in Leeds and loved internationally, the brand has never lost its Northern soul. Known for bold colour, individuality and storytelling through clothing, Joe Browns celebrates personality rather than conformity.
UNR’s relationship with Joe Browns in 2025 highlighted an important truth: Northern fashion does not have to choose between commercial success and cultural integrity. Joe Browns proves that scale and soul can coexist — and that Northern brands can succeed globally while remaining proudly rooted at home.
From Above Bridal
From Above Bridal represents a modern reimagining of what a Northern bridal boutique can be — ethical, inclusive and unapologetically values-driven. Specialising in pre-loved, sample and end-of-line designer wedding dresses, From Above Bridal offers brides access to exceptional craftsmanship and luxury design at genuinely affordable prices. At a time when sustainability and financial realism matter more than ever, the boutique has carved out a distinctive position by proving that choosing consciously does not mean compromising on beauty, quality or experience.
In 2025, UNR proudly supported From Above Bridal as a leading example of how independent Northern businesses can challenge industry norms while strengthening local economies. More than a retailer, From Above Bridal champions circular fashion, reduces waste in the bridal industry and creates a welcoming, pressure-free space for brides of all backgrounds. Its success reflects the future UNR is working towards — one where heritage, sustainability and contemporary fashion thinking combine to build resilient, meaningful businesses rooted firmly in the North.
Cathy Neale
Cathy Neale’s work sits at the intersection of fashion, art and activism. Her designs are raw, expressive and deeply personal, often incorporating sustainability, upcycling and narrative into every piece. Cathy’s work challenges the idea that fashion should be disposable or detached from meaning.
UNR supported Cathy in 2025 because her work represents the conscience of Northern fashion. She reminds us that creativity is not just about aesthetics — it is about values, storytelling and responsibility. Designers like Cathy are essential to a future fashion industry that is ethical, reflective and culturally honest.
Cache La Boutique
Cache La Boutique is a standout example of how independent Northern retail continues to thrive through curation, personality and an unwavering commitment to quality. Known for its carefully selected collections and strong sense of style, Cache has built a loyal customer base by offering fashion that feels distinctive rather than generic. In a retail landscape increasingly dominated by uniformity, Cache proves that individuality, expert buying and genuine customer relationships still matter.
In 2025, UNR was proud to support Cache La Boutique as part of its mission to champion independent retailers who play a vital role in sustaining local fashion economies. Boutiques like Cache act as cultural connectors — bridging designers and customers, nurturing confidence, and keeping high streets vibrant. Supporting Cache is about more than fashion; it is about protecting creativity, entrepreneurship and the unique character of Northern towns and cities.
Dean Wiltshire
https://www.dwiltsclothing.com/shop/mens
Dean Wiltshire is redefining contemporary menswear from a Northern perspective. His designs combine sharp tailoring with street-level sensibility, offering garments that feel confident, modern and grounded. Dean’s work speaks to men who want individuality without excess, quality without pretence.
UNR’s support for Dean in 2025 reflects our commitment to ensuring menswear designers receive the same visibility and opportunity as womenswear. The Northern fashion story is incomplete without strong menswear voices — and Dean Wiltshire is undoubtedly one of them.
Richard Kirk
https://www.kirkfashion.co.uk/
Richard Kirk is one of the most distinctive designers working in the North today. Known for his innovative use of reclaimed military textiles, Richard’s work is a powerful blend of sustainability, history and cutting-edge design. Every garment carries both physical and cultural weight.
UNR supported Richard in 2025 because his work perfectly aligns with our belief that heritage is not something to preserve behind glass — it is something to be reimagined and worn. Richard’s designs show how Northern industrial and military histories can be transformed into contemporary fashion with global relevance.
Isabelle Randall
Isabelle Randall is part of a new generation of Northern designers redefining what modern British fashion looks like. Her work balances structure and softness, strength and vulnerability — creating garments that feel contemporary yet deeply considered. Isabelle’s design voice is confident, intelligent and unmistakably her own.
Throughout 2025, UNR championed Isabelle’s work because it represents the future of Northern fashion: innovative, sustainable in mindset, and unafraid to challenge expectations. Supporting emerging designers like Isabelle is central to UNR’s mission — ensuring that talent is nurtured locally rather than lost to London-centric systems.
Regenerating Northern Fashion Through Heritage and Strategy
Beyond individual designers and retailers, 2025 has been about building a system. UNR’s mission goes far deeper than events or promotion — it is about strategic regeneration of the Northern fashion industry.
At the heart of this strategy is the belief that dormant Northern heritage assets — mills, warehouses, factories and historic buildings — must be re-purposed as creative infrastructure. These spaces once powered the global textile industry. With the right investment, they can again support fashion, photography, videography, retail, education and tourism.
UNR advocates for targeted, intelligent investment, not scattergun funding. By clustering designers, retailers and creative services within regenerated heritage spaces, we create ecosystems that generate employment, skills, cultural value and long-term economic return. This approach builds resilience, not dependency.
Northern fashion is not a problem to be solved — it is an asset to be unlocked. Its culture is inimitable, its heritage unmatched, and its talent extraordinary. In 2025, UNR reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ensuring that Northern fashion is not just celebrated, but structurally supported for generations to come.
Looking Ahead: UNR’s Vision for 2026
As we look towards 2026, Up North Runway’s ambition is clear: to scale impact without losing authenticity. Plans are already forming for fashion events in iconic Northern locations, placing designers centre stage within the very buildings that shaped our industrial and cultural identity. Alongside this, we will deliver editorial shoots at Northern landmarks, using fashion, photography and film to tell powerful regional stories that resonate far beyond the North. A digital Northern fashion network will be launched to connect designers, retailers, photographers, videographers and creatives — breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration at scale. At the heart of this vision sits a Northern fashion symposium, bringing together creatives, investors, policymakers and industry leaders to drive meaningful discussion, unlock investment and build a shared strategy for long-term growth. 2026 is about moving from momentum to legacy.
