Glitz and glamour meets thrift and thread as Croydon’s second annual fashion festival returns next week.

Catwalk models will parade cutting-edge clothes yet to hit the shops and a series of events will show off the latest trends in credit crunch chic such as recycled outfits and using a needle and thread.

Organisers hope the festival will prove as big a draw as in previous years, with more than 600,000 people coming to the town centre.

Highlights of the festival, which begins on Saturday, June 20, include an underwear show at Allders, styling workshops and the chance to buy never-before-seen creations from stalls in the Whitgift Centre.

Four different events will showcase local design talent and the catwalk shows of new fashions will return to the Whitgift Centre.

In light of the recession, a big theme of this year’s event is sewing.

The Whitgift Centre and Croydon Clocktower will be hosting sewing classes throughout the week.

The classes promise to teach people everything from restyling old outfits to making clothes fit. The best results may end up on the catwalk.

The environment will also play a prominent role.

Three specially-commissioned garments will be on show at the Clocktower, with a dress made from money, one made from plastic bags and an outfit made from organic cloths.

A fashion show at the Whitgift Centre will be dedicated to clothes made from recycled materials and employees at Mondial will be showing off their recyclable designs.

Angela Reed, sponsorship and events manager for Croydon Business, which is organising the event, said the recycling theme recognises the impact of the recession.

She said: “We want to help people and give something for everyone. The festival goes right from the top of designer wear down to how to repair an outfit and make it fashionable.”

Entertainment beyond the world of clothes has not been forgotten. The grand finale of the festival, on Sunday, June 28, will include the Croydon Live show, with music from the Idmc Gospel Choir, a Croydon-based gospel choir, and others.

Past fashion festivals have given a boost to Croydon’s shops and stores are expecting a similar effect this time round.

Ian Harvey, marketing executive at the Whitgift Centre, said it had seen a “significant increase” in visitors during last year’s festival and stores involved had reported “a direct rise in sales”.

Miss Reed agreed: “We’re looking for that to happen again.

“The festival really does pull people in.”

• For more of what’s on, go to our Events section