OXFORD is set to follow in the high-heeled footsteps of Milan, Paris, New York and London by hosting its first fashion week.

The city of dreaming spires will be awash with models, stylists and collections from some of the worlds best-known clothes designers for six nights next month.

Organisers claim the event will be the UK’s second biggest catwalk extravaganza after London Fashion Week.

Industry names such as Alexander McQueen, French Connection, Zara and LK Bennett have been lined up to exhibit their highly sought- after creations at venues across the city, including the Sheldonian Theatre, Freud in Walton Street, and The Bridge nightclub in Hythe Bridge Street.

Organiser Carl Anglim, of Bullingdon Road, East Oxford, said: “This is the biggest fashion event that has ever come to Oxford.

“We are putting together the most spectacular series of events outside of the capital.

“London aside, Oxford sits as one of the most internationally-recognised UK cities. It is beautiful and it has its own particular mystique and charm.

“The introduction of an annual fashion week will take advantage of these attributes.”

Mr Anglim and co-organiser Victoria Watson have attracted more than 40 designers to display their wares during the event.

They assembled the list of top fashion names by allocating them free runway and exhibition space for the event’s first year. Organisers said they planned to make Oxford’s event different from London Fashion Week by attracting people living in the city to the shows, instead of having audiences made up purely of industry buyers.

In all there are 1,200 tickets on offer for the celebration, which begins on Sunday, May 3, and has been planned by about 80 past and present Oxford University students.

St Catherine’s College student Irene Forte, the daughter of hotel magnate Rocco Forte, has been chosen as the face of Oxford Fashion Week.

If the event is a success it will become an annual event.

Mr Anglim, 22, a former law student at Merton College, said: “We have been really pleased with the designers we have managed to get involved.

“Most fashion weeks are industry led and are about showing new lines to buyers. What we’re trying to do is to turn fashion shows into entertainment events where members of the public can come along and enjoy drinks and get the buzz of a real fashion show.

“We don’t want to limit ourselves to students at the university and anyone who has got a spark to make things happen or an interest in fashion can get involved in future years.”

For tickets, email tickets@ oxfordfashionweek.org cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk