A visit by an international fashion mogul, live models featured in stores around town, and a hair and beauty showcase, are just some of the offerings at this year’s City Fashion Festival.The City of Hamilton are gearing up to start a full week of activities, starting on July 1 with Mannequin Monday, where local retail stores, salons and sponsors will display live models in their windows.There will also be a ‘Hair & Beauty Showcase’ that evening in the Earl Cameron Theatre, at City Hall, featuring local hair stylists and make-up artists and their beauty creations.On Thursday July 4, a host of talented local designers will be showcasing their runway and reception styles in the Harbourview Ballroom at Fairmont Hamilton Princess.These same designers have been undergoing a mentoring programme where they were paired with international fashion editors to get guidance, advice and support on their collections.Another new feature in this year’s festival will be an invitation only presentation hosted by fashion mogul Rebecca Minkoff.The handbag, accessories, and apparel designer started her career in 2001, after launching a five-piece clothing line.Her “I love New York” T-shirt became a huge success after one designed for talk show host Jay Leno made it into magazine US Weekly.Since then she has designed apparel for celebrities like Lauren Conrad, Keira Knightley, Ashley Greene, and Reese Witherspoon. Ms Minkoff has also appeared on shows like Good Morning America, Fox Business News and Extra to talk about fashion and business.While on Island, Ms Minkoff will be highlighting her latest collection, which will be presented by all local models.The week’s finale will be a production of the Evolution Fashion Show — featuring fashions from city retailers, 200 local models, exciting choreography, stunning make-up collections and the latest hair trends.“Again this year, we have invited talent scouts, Elite Modelling Agency London to partner with the City, interact with local models and watch the Evolution Fashion Show with the view of possibly signing a local model,” said Event Project Manager, Danilee Trott.“Local retailers are also on the lookout for new and fresh faces and could offer a year-long contract to an aspiring model.”For more information on the festival visit www.facebook.com/evolutionbda. Tickets to the week’s events are available from www.ptix.bm.