Vive La Revolucion
Revolting in the name of charity was what was being called for at the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show held at The Corn Exchange last month.
The show began in dramatic fashion with a revolutionary speech bellowing from an old-fashioned gramophone centre stage with sombre images of models flashing up on large screens holding red flags, interspersed by images of a matriarch that I was later told represented a dictator.
ECFS Chairman, Joni Mackay explained: “Revolution was perhaps a risky theme for us to take but we felt we could get across the message we wanted to.
“I personally think that many charity fashion shows lack pizzazz so we tried to incorporate dance, music, lighting - everything you saw tonight - to create more of a spectacle for the audience.”
An evening of contrasts unfolded before the eyes starting with delicate floral prints from Nicole Farhi followed by leather and wool statement 21st Century kilts by Edinburgh’s own Howie Nicholsby. The Britpop explosion of Blur’s Boys & Girls provided a fitting soundtrack for the male models to work the kilt combos with cheeky charm while the girls accompanied gracefully in tartan corsets and wet-look leggings by Anta.
Similar to Farhi, Daks presented floral prints, tulip skirts and playsuits teamed with gladiator-style shoe boots and concealed platform patents providing more edge. Jaeger also teamed patents with floating maxi dresses and a monochrome, hound tooth mac.
The models began to ooze confidence as they paraded collections by Betty Jackson and Walker Slater, working oversized patent bags with hot pants and nerd-style glasses with dishevelled locks.
Mary Mary London’s delightful array of frills and femininity brought the first half of the show to a climatic close with candy striped swing dresses and ruffled shirts with floral sashes tied in delicate bows.
Commenting on the ECFS, designer Mary Forestier-Walker said: “There was a fantastic response to my collection so I’m really pleased. The models worked my clothes and looked like they really enjoyed wearing them which for a designer is a really lovely thing to see.
“I would definitely get involved again, firstly for the charitable reasons. My company is totally fair trade, everything is manufactured and sourced in England, so I’m very much a British brand and helping British charities is really important to me.”
The second half of the show revealed further sweet treats in ladies' fashion with an empowering range of lingerie by Boudiche and Bora Aksu’s chiffon and organza dresses in dusky pinks and violets worn with bejewelled tights.
Stuart McKirdy’s label, I Found This On The Street provided some further quirkiness with axes and luchador masks worn alongside preppy polos.
It could be easy to forget that ECFS is run entirely by students due to its almost flawless choreography and content, all in the name of charity. Long live this revolution![Emma McDonald]