Leeds RAG Fashion Show: far more than just models

Leeds RAG Fashion Show: far more than just models

They sold out 650 seats.

 

The 15th of February saw the return of the Leeds RAG Fashion Show for a much anticipated 10th anniversary celebration. The show took the theme of ‘TIME•LESS’, appropriate having reached its decade milestone, and shown continued success. This year’s show was the largest ever, selling out 650 seats, showing the event is far from getting old.

This year’s chosen charities focused upon the theme of mental health, with RAG donating all proceeds to Leeds Mind and Dementia UK. Leeds Mind’s goal is not only to offer extensive support encouraging mental wellbeing, but to also open up conversation surrounding the subject of mental health, and reduce the stigmas so often attached to the topic. Choosing to support a dementia charity is similarly valuable. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are the leading cause of death in England and Wales, having overtaken heart disease and cancer. More shockingly, dementia is not exclusive to the elderly with around 42,000 people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease. These are often overlooked statistics, yet the effects of dementia stretch much further than the patients themselves with family and friends struggling as they witness loved ones suffer.

Student High Street supported the show financially, as well as providing clothes for the models.

The concepts of the charities were at the forefront of fashion show directors Jonathan Canizales and Nick Fola Egunjobi’s creative vision; curating a show that showed the effect of positivity to one’s life. The show focused its theme of ‘TIME•LESS’ by depicting stages of life recognisable to all: Birth, War, Peace, Death and Re, incorporating ideas of re-birth and revival.

The opening walk, Birth, saw combinations of nude hues complementing each model’s skin tone. There appeared to be a Yeezy-style influence present, with modern looks featuring figure hugging barely-there crop tops and cycle shorts combinations with patent boots, acting as a second skin, giving each look an organic rawness and uniqueness to the model.

 

The progression into War was marked by the powerful beat of Kanye’s Black Skinhead, instantly changing the atmosphere to project the aggression and power affiliated with war, turning heads towards models taking powerful poses at the top of the runway. Looks resonated with our animalistic nature, incorporating camouflage colours immersing us amongst dirt and nature. This contrasted with the military-style lace up boots and oversized parkas, showing the senseless nature of conflict.

The room immediately calmed with the transition from War to Peace. For this, stylists explored timeless looks resurrected from the 70s, with flares being given a modern twist and styled in soft metallics and flowers placed perfectly in the barefooted models’ hair. Developing the human connection with the natural world, looks abandoned their animalistic appearance in favour of harmonising floral patterns.

The theme of Death displayed the fusion of emotions we feel when faced with loss. Along the centre of the runway were ballerinas reminiscent of Black Swan, adding a touch of elegance that created a tasteful contrast with the aggressive attire. Looks also toyed with the notion of peace and acceptance that can come with death, with sombre black silk gowns and lace veils.

 

 

As the scene of Death came to a close, the audience naturally thought the show was over. Then, surprising as it was invigorating, the surprise Re scene burst out. This showed that a re-birth of oneself is always possible after self-acceptance.To celebrate this, an array of colours dominated the runway, as patterns immersed themselves with an eclectic mix of textures and colours, providing a great contrast from previous scenes. A new approach to catwalk saw models dancing down the runway, encouraging audience participation to old favourites such as David Bowie and Bruno Mars. The high-energy finale was met with an incredible reception, with the whole crowd singing and dancing from start to finish. The scenes in ‘TIME•LESS’ symbolised the ups and downs in life, but without them we would not have the chance for reflection and development as depicted in RE.

Images: Dylan Mentzl