Brix Smith Start and The Lowry Hotel Reveal Manchester's Ultimate Shopping Guide

Manchester, 15 November 2011 – Rocco Forte’s The Lowry Hotel has exclusively partnered with style queen Brix Smith Start to create the ultimate guide to shopping in Manchester. Brix will be offering her insider knowledge into all the shopping addresses every self-respecting fashionista should have on their radar.

The brains behind Shoreditch fashion emporium Start and Gok Wan’s nemesis on his Channel Four show Fashion Fix, Brix knows a thing or two about retail therapy and has partnered with The Lowry Hotel to create a guide that showcases the best of Manchester’s retail. She is a fixture on the front row of all the catwalk shows and is an authority on young designers to watch in Manchester.

Brix has scowered the city for her favourite addresses from high end department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Flannels to a myriad of quirky shops and boutiques in the Northern Quarter. The guide is inspired by Brix’s personal taste and includes retro shops she regularly visits for the very best vintage treasures. She shares her tips on where to find timeless and one-off pieces to help dedicated followers of fashion stand out from the crowd. The guide includes access to VIP offers such as goody bags and gifts, personal shopping, specially negotiated discounts at several of the shops featured and complimentary Champagne.

Brix comments: ‘The city has changed so much since I first lived here.  At the time there was hardly any choice, but today having spawned talents such as Matthew Williamson, Henry Holland and designer of ‘that dress’ Sara Burton at Alexander McQueen, Manchester features high on my list as one of the most fashionable and vibrant places to shop in the UK. The Lowry Hotel is the ideal base for a spot of retail indulgence and I look forward to sharing my favourite shops with the hotel’s guests.’

 
Manchester has grown to rival London as the top shopping city in the UK with all the hottest shops within walking distance and exclusive designer stores constantly emerging. Armed with Brix’s guide, Manchester is perfect for the savvy shopper looking for next season’s trends.

Manchester's most fashionable hotel, the award-winning Lowry Hotel is ideally situated for easy access to central Manchester and the main shopping and commercial districts and after a day of exploring the city’s shopping quarters, guests can relax at the hotel’s River Bar with a special ‘Fashionistas’ cocktail for a much needed break.

Those still in need of extra help can also call on Manchester’s Shopping Angels, a group of selected local fashion experts who will happily join guests on their shopping quests.

The Manchester Fashion Package at The Lowry Hotel starts at £179 room per night, based on two people sharing and includes:
- Brix Smith Start’s Guide to Fashionable Manchester, including specially negotiated discounts at several of the shops included
- Fashionistas Cocktail for two in The River Bar
- One night accommodation in a deluxe king bedroom, breakfast included
- Early check-in and late check-out*
- Upgrade to a Superior Room*
- 
For further information or to book, contact The Lowry Hotel on 0870 460 5040, quoting Fashion Manchester. www.roccofortehotels.com

- Ends –

Notes to Editors

Fashion Manchester  
Upgrade to Superior Room and early check in and check out  subject to availability

Rocco Forte Hotels

Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 13 individual hotels and resorts. Each property has a unique style, reflecting its nationality and location, but all share Rocco Forte Hotels’ trademark attention to detail, high quality and immaculate service.
 
Established by Sir Rocco Forte in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; The Lowry Hotel, Manchester; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Brown’s Hotel, London; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Augustine Hotel, Prague; Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily; Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi. Future openings: Jeddah 2013; Marrakech 2014; Cairo 2014; Luxor 2014.

www.roccofortehotels.com

Media Enquiries:
Anna Martin/ Ilse van Steen/ Natasha Berg
Rocco Forte Hotels
Tel:  +44 (0)20 766 3107/3137/3113
Email:  pressinformation@roccofortehotels.com