Welsh fashion inspired by miners' strike and Merthyr Tydfil
2025-02-07
Category: entertainment

The end of the miners' strike 40 years ago and a well-known Welsh artist are the inspirations for a new fashion collection. Dewi Bowen was known for capturing iconic scenes of his hometown Merthyr Tydfil. His great nephew Ioan Bowen-Pickett, owner of Cardiff-based fashion label Cambrensis, is putting on what he describes as a "landmark moment for Welsh fashion".The Victory to the Miners runway show, is also "championing the future of sustainable fashion", he added. 
The mining industry has influenced not just the clothes but also the music, with the Aber Valley male choir accompanying the models on the catwalk. Ioan says the clothes are "solely based on Welsh heritage and the works of my late great uncle". "His artwork featured mainly images of Welsh heritage," he added."For example, one of our main pieces is a parka [jacket] and it features an image by him of a Welsh colliery going through it."
The unisex clothes in the show are a joint effort between Ioan and Bridgend-based designer Nia Jade. The partnership, they say, aims to combine "traditional Welsh craftsmanship with bold, eco-conscious design". The mining theme is important to Nia, "because its rooted in most Welsh peoples heritage"."My grandparents worked in the mines, and its always been quite big in our family and something we are proud of," she added."Obviously that generation is passing on, but I think it is good to keep it alive out of respect for how they have left their mark on Wales."A fashion show in an old chapel with music that does not have a contemporary beat is not without its challenges, says choreographer Luce Edwards. "The acoustics are great and the voices being echoed will make the experience 10 times more powerful," he said.   "But our models will have to find a beat to the music by the choir and that is quite a challenge... but at the same time you are going to have the strength of those voices behind you."
Mathew Pearce works in marketing in the company and says the fashion world in Wales is an exciting place to be. "We are trying to have an influence on other Welsh brands," he said. "Wales has great chances to be in the high end fashion and we want everyone on board." 