UoE’s Fashion Society’s show made headlines last year, taking over Greyfriars Kirkyard on 10 March to showcase designers’ work based around the theme of Ethereal Beings, raising over £2,000 for SolidariTee in the process. Now the show is back and promises to be their “biggest yet.” I sat down with Jack Spiers, Head of Fashion Show, to talk about what students can expect from this year.
Speaking about Edinburgh’s fashion scene, Jack was quick to highlight how the city flourishes under its multiculturalism with “so many people with so many different points of view of fashion”, joking that the university library is usually a fashion show in itself.
This year’s theme is ‘Chiaroscuro’, which Jack describes as a “baroque painting technique [which] plays with the theme of light and dark.” Whilst the literal meaning draws from colours and artistic technique, the political and activist message of finding “light in the dark” is what inspires the team behind the show, and Jack hopes the designers too.
The official call for designers launches early next week, with an interest form already open for those who are keen to get involved. Whilst Jack notes that sometimes it can be hard to strike the balance between designer freedom and putting together a cohesive show, he points out that this year the theme is “quite broad” and whilst it’s literally about light and dark they’re opening it up “to be more about juxtaposition,” with “hope” at the heart of their mission. When asked about why fashion can be such an effective political statement Jack emphasised how “art as a whole is so political” but fashion is “a story told through a person” and it’s so “personal.”
Most of all, it was clear that the team is the most important thing to the project, saying that since their first meeting “the room was electric with ideas” and “ambitious thoughts”. A strong team is required for this event where the plan is to “double everything” from last year: with Jack saying “we’re going big or going hard or going home.”
There are so many ways for students to get involved in the project and not just as models or designers but the society also holds workshops, classes and guest lectures from professionals. This aligns with the personal and professional goals on the show to “give an outreach to designers, models and anyone who is involved” to the industry, becoming a “launching pad for careers.”
Overall, it was clear this is going beyond “your average fashion show” and in three words promises to be “dramatic, fantastical and different” with certainty that you’ll be sure to regret it if you miss out. To get more involved, follow @uoefashionsociety on Instagram.
Image provided by UoE’s Fashion Society.
