The ‘C’ in Charity: A Reflection on College Charity Fashion Shows

By Anna Hind

As much as I adore my degree, one of the most enthralling prospects of enrolling in Durham by far was the charity fashion shows. Whether at college level or on as large of a scale as DUCFS, both partaking and witnessing these events is enjoyable for everyone involved. The fashion and choreography provides the medium for creativity, yet the charitable element gives it significance. As I approach my final year at Durham, I’d like to reflect upon my experiences working on my own college fashion show; the process, the rewards, and feeling like you’re in The Devil Wears Prada.

From the perspective of someone who miraculously plucked up the courage to model as a fresher, working behind the scenes in my second year was a lot less daunting. In the role of a fashion director, one of the most memorable elements of the experience was the amount of creative freedom I was given. As our theme was ‘A Ripple in Time’, each walk explored different styles from each decade. The show catalogue took the viewer from the paisley prints of the 1960s to the crop tops of y2k, obviously concluding with a 2010s Victoria’s Secret-inspired underwear walk, a staple at Durham fashion shows. My chosen brief was the 1990s, where I chose to fixate upon the Grunge aesthetic (think Kate Moss, Nirvana, and Vivienne Westwood-esque garments). The final line up was an abundant array of black band tee shirts and babydoll dresses, clad with tartan print and tiny sunglasses. The night itself was a massive success. JB’s bar was decked out with balloons, confetti, and flashing lights, with gigantic cardboard signs being displayed throughout the audience. The atmosphere backstage and on the runway was nothing but supportive and uplifting, which only continued during the afterparty at Loft Indie Night. It was even more rewarding when a handful of the models purchased their outfits after the show, where the proceeds from this went towards our chosen charity.

The show catalogue took the viewer from the paisley prints of the 1960s to the crop tops of y2k, obviously concluding with a 2010s Victoria’s Secret-inspired underwear walk, a staple at Durham fashion shows.

The nature of college fashion shows mean that the budget for procuring pieces is often smaller, however this was not restrictive in the slightest. St Cuthbert’s Hospice kindly offered to lend us some garments in return for putting some of their posters up around Durham. Charity warehouses in Sunderland also became handy for acquiring garments. Finding a piece that perfectly matched your vision was so incredibly satisfying when you had spent hours rummaging racks and rifling through charity bins, a feeling that is impossible to replicate with modern online shopping.

Finding a piece that perfectly matched your vision was so incredibly satisfying when you had spent hours rummaging racks and rifling through charity bins, a feeling that is impossible to replicate with modern online shopping

A keen eye for aesthetics wasn’t the only skill I developed. As someone who is not naturally tech-savvy in the slightest, learning to collate data onto spreadsheets, to keep track of the models’ sizes, procured garments and budgeting, was very beneficial. Soft skills such as time management and organisation also became my best friends. The amalgamation of these factors helped me in later months to progress to future endeavours – I am now on the DUCFS exec for the 2027 show as a fashion director, a project I care deeply about and has been absolutely incredible to work on so far. 

Most importantly however, behind the allure of silks, silhouettes and strutting down the runway lies the true meaning of charity fashion shows – the contributions we can make to the local community. As enjoyable as it was to display our months of effort and organisation to a large audience, the most fulfilling element of it all was to remember the difference we were making. My college chose to fundraise for RSACC (Rape and Sexual Assault Abuse Counselling Centre), a confidential service which aims to provide aid to victims of sexual violence from Darlington and County Durham. Not only is this charity close to my heart as someone from the North East, but it made the success of the show even more enthralling. Any mistakes, clothing mishaps and setbacks I had during the process completely melted away when finding out our final donation accumulated to over £2000, a number which exceeded the previous year massively. 

My college chose to fundraise for RSACC (Rape and Sexual Assault Abuse Counselling Centre), a confidential service which aims to provide aid to victims of sexual violence from Darlington and County Durham

It could be argued that, therefore, the true legacy of fashion shows at Durham lies not in how much of an elaborate show is put on, but on how much difference we can make to the lives of others. The nerves and stresses of running shows such as these subside when reminded of the overarching reason for putting on said events. The show was important on a personal level in varying ways – as much as it deepened my joy for fashion and my hopes to one day work in the creative industry, charity remains the beating heart of charity fashion shows at Durham. 

Image Credit: Sou Jest via Unsplash