Cheshire Oaks teams up with a Coronation Street star to host “Refresher Oaks”

Refresher Oaks will allow Centre visitors the opportunity to upcycle their Spring/Summer wardrobes via a range of free workshops to attend this month

As fashion trends continue to rapidly evolve, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks is offering its customers the opportunity to upcycle their Spring/Summer wardrobe with a one-day pop-up event on April 22nd.

The “Refresher Oaks” event has been produced in conjunction with Kimberly Hart-Simpson, founder and owner of Hartwork, a clothing boutique which specialises in reworked items and vintage wear, in order to educate and bring life into customers’ existing wardrobes.

Guests at the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet can now sign up to fashion-focused workshops including “Renew”, “Recreate,” “Repair,” and “Restyle” via the Centre's website. The launch of Refresher Oaks follows statistics that roughly 40% of the clothing they purchase online, and a primary reason comes down to sizing.

The complimentary “Refresher Oaks” programme at the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet will be launched with an event attended by local influencers and media as well as Kimberly Hart-Simpson herself. Kimberly is best known for playing Nicky Wheatley on ITV's 'Coronation Street' as well as appearing on Channel 4's 'Hollyoaks' and E4's 'Celebs Go Dating'. She is also a keen fashion designer with a huge passion for upcycling and reworking, which forms the basis of her brand Hart-Work.

Kimberly Hart-Simpson’s “Renew” class (10.30am-12pm) will encourage every participant to rework an item of clothing into something they will love wearing again and takeaway life-long skills to upcycle your wardrobe.

Children are invited to attend the “Recreate” class (12.15-1.30pm). This session will allow participants to come and create their very own personalised tote bags using recycled fabrics, paints and embellishments.  The interactive class will provide education and knowledge to its younger participants about the benefits of upcycling.

Finally, one of the afternoon sessions will focus on “Repair” (2-3pm), with a seamstress sharing how to repair and adjust your own clothes with minimal effort. The final workshop, “Restyle” (3.30 - 4.30pm) will focus on turning old unworn clothes into fashionable cushions.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks will provide participants with items of clothing to Restyle, Reuse, Recycle and Resize, alternatively guests can also bring products from their own wardrobes.

Hart-Work Founder and Owner, Kimberly Hart-Simpson said: “The speed that fashion and trends evolve these days is hard to keep up with not just for our minds, but for the planet and for our bank balance. I am passionate about taking what you have and making it work for you so that everything you buy is timeless and built to last. I am very much looking forward to sharing my years of expertise and practice with the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet community”.

Kenny Murray, General Manager at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet said: “We believe that fashion should last a lifetime, not a season, and we know that visitors to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks value high quality clothing and accessories from premium brands. This is why we are thrilled to partner with fashion designer and advocate Kimberly Hart-Simpson via Hart-Work to create the first-ever ‘Refresher Oaks’ campaign. Offering our loyal customers new skills via free workshops to upcycle their wardrobe just in time for summer. Continuing our commitment to creating unique experiences for our guests by giving the opportunity to breathe life into their unwanted clothes.”

This activation follows the Centre’s hugely successful ByRotation 10-day pop-up in 2022. This saw the social fashion rental app allow visitors to rent, lend and buy designer fashion through a peer-to-peer model. The McArthurGlen group has long been an advocate of sustainability, this includes the recent launch of the ‘Recycle Your Fashion’ circular recycling scheme, which sees 100% of the donations reused, re-worn or recycled. Guests wishing to participate in the scheme are invited to bring a bag of unwanted clothes into the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, in exchange for a 10% voucher to be spent in-Centre.

Participants can sign up to join The Refresher Oaks sessions here: 

https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-cheshire-oaks/whats-on/Refresher-oaks/