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Women paint bodies for fashion show with a difference at Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness

It must have been one of the strangest fashion shows to have been staged anywhere.

Instead of using the catwalk to show off new dresses, women dared to bare their bodies as part of Lottie Hopper's first body beautiful pageant.

Lottie Hopper (Charlotte Ralph) with the cast of her first body fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Lottie Hopper (Charlotte Ralph) with the cast of her first body fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes

The 30-year-old single Sheppey mum and artist, who writes and illustrates books under the name of Charlotte Ralph, took to painting her own body at the end of last year to better express herself.

Since then, it has snowballed into a movement to empower women. It climaxed with a fashion show with a difference at the Sheppey Little Theatre in Meyrick Road, Sheerness, on Friday night.

A delighted Lottie, who painted the ladies, said: "There were 27 of us in the show and about 60 in the audience.

"We had two catwalks, 18 models, Kent’s pageant queens and Serena who is a sex, love and relationship coach. Most of us ended up being painted. We all helped each another."

She added: "The atmosphere was just amazing. We all stood up to be ourselves. The show was to help boost body confidence and it certainly worked. Every person involved stepped out their comfort zone to be brave, sexy and to show self-love."

If you've got it, flaunt it. A contestant in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection
If you've got it, flaunt it. A contestant in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection
Red legs in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection
Red legs in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection
A contestant in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection
A contestant in Lottie Hopper's (Charlotte Ralph) body-confident painted catwalk show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: Lottie Hopper Collection

She admitted the show suffered from a few technical issues at the start but added: "We managed to pull through. In the end, it could not have gone better."

And she promised: "We will be doing another next year which will be even bigger and better. We already have people wanting to join the catwalk. The planning will start next month."

The mum-of-three explained: "I use body-painting to help myself and to show who I am. We certainly showed our true colours, and very brightly at that, on Friday."

The show received backing from the Queenborough Fishery Trust and Morrisons community champions at the Neats Court store.

Lottie's backstage team included her sister Abby Dewberry, maths teacher Sarah Steel, Island podcaster Kay Carter of Simply Sheppey and new member Ashley Chessman.

The body show team, from the left, Abby Dewberry, Sarah Steel, Kay Carter and Lottie Hopper (Charlotte Ralph) on stage at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
The body show team, from the left, Abby Dewberry, Sarah Steel, Kay Carter and Lottie Hopper (Charlotte Ralph) on stage at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Catwalk contestants Maz, Karen, Helen and Wendy backstage preparing for artist Lottie Hopper's body-beautiful parade at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Catwalk contestants Maz, Karen, Helen and Wendy backstage preparing for artist Lottie Hopper's body-beautiful parade at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes

The event was captured by photographers Bobbie Paisley Cornelius and James Hughes. A thank-you party will be thrown for the show's helpers in September.

Women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Baring almost all: women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Baring almost all: women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Proud: women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes
Proud: women of all sizes and shapes threw away their inhibitions to take part in Lottie Hopper's body confidant fashion show at the Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness. Picture: James Hughes

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