Linzi Stoppard and her violin duo FUSE launch plus perform at Fashion For The Brave

On September 6th electric violinist Linzi Stoppard launched Fashion For The Brave modelling an exclusive Jasper Conran bespoke Union Flag dress at the Household Cavalry Barracks in Hyde Park, London.

The Household Cavalry joined top British fashion designers that include Matthew Williamson, Betty Jackson, Bruce Oldfield, Jasper Conran, Ben De Lisi and Caroline Charles at an A list fundraising event which supported Help for Heroes, ABF the Soldiers Charity as well as The Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund. Fashion For The Brave (first of what will be an annual event) took place at The Dorchester on October 26th 2010 with guests that included Sir Philip Green, Sir Roger Moore etc.

At the press launch and photo call Angela Rippon OBE (who hosted the evening and spoke on behalf of the three charities at the press launch) joined model / electronic violinist Linzi Stoppard who was accompanied by mounted and dismounted cavalry troopers as well as wounded troopers who have recently returned from Afghanistan. Also present was be co-founder of Help for Heroes Bryn Parry, General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter of ABF The Soldiers Charity and Captain Alistair Galloway of The Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund.
Beaming broadly - and feeling just a little nervous - Linzi Stoppard mounted a cavalry black gelding called Tweedale, wearing a long Union Flag ball-gown and six-inch red satin platforms from Gina.

Her equestrian exploit was staged to officially launch 'Fashion for the Brave', the unique charity initiative which unites British fashion and British forces. Fashion for the Brave, was staged at The Dorchester Hotel, on October 26th, marking the first time in the 350-year-old history of The Household Cavalry, that the regiment has ever taken part in such an event.

'Fashion for the Brave' was be a black tie gala which raised  funds for three military charities. The fundraising event managed to donate hundreds of thousand of pounds to the charities.

More than 50 of the country's leading designers and heritage brands featured in the evening's fashion show, including Jasper Conran, Matthew Williamson, Bruce Oldfield, Victoria Beckham, Julien Macdonald, Betty Jackson, Paul Smith, John Rocha, Caroline Charles, Philip Treacy, Stephen Jones, Holland & Holland, Aquascutum, Austin Reed, Barbour, and Frank Usher.

The Dorchester hotel was transformed with high-impact, show-stopping installations and ceremonial appearances from The Household Cavalry.

The evening was be hosted by Angela Rippon, OBE, with a special performance by FUSE, featuring Linzi Stoppard, and The Dismounted Band of The Household Cavalry.

Jaguar Land Rover has donated the star auction item of a limited edition 2011 Range Rover, valued at over £100,000. The auction also featured items donated by Dame Helen Mirren, Stephen Webster, Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry.

FUSE are virtuoso musicians Linzi Stoppard and Ben Lee who, on their self-titled debut album, harness their bespoke signature Bridge electric violins and take Rock tracks that people love and radically but lovingly reinterpret them. As Linzi says, “It’s completely fresh, no one thought that what we do was even possible. Someone recently said, ‘The album is great but I can’t hear as much of the violins as I’d like’. Everything you hear is violins! The style that we use when we play is more akin to that of a guitar player, with more soul and electricity – literally! We chose work from artists that are huge stadium acts, and that’s where we want to be. It is that big and that powerful - get some ear plugs! We specialise in blowing away people’s preconceptions.”

What FUSE do is unique but they feel that the tracks that they reinvent are not untouchable. “We’re unafraid to cover classic rock tracks,” says Ben. “Don’t forget that all “classical” music today is cover versions of music by pop stars from the last 300 years! What we do can have a truly global appeal; there are no language barriers. Whilst we’re a string band, people can sing along to the choruses that we all know”.