THE RUNDOWN: EQUINOX FASHION SHOW TAKES OVER HESLINGTON HALL

Astra collective took over the gardens of Heslington Hall last Saturday for its latest instalment of the Equinox fashion show.

This theme marked not only the transition into spring, but the third charity fashion show in the past 12 months.

The show witnessed a remarkable turnout of over 100 viewers: friends, family and students, helping to raise money for the “Brook” charity.

via Instagram @uoyastracollective

EQUINOX

Moving away from their traditional venue of Central Hall, the society took over Heslington Halls croquet lawn, bringing the fashion to great outdoors, a fabulous way to kick off the start of spring in York.

Following the precedence established in their two prior shows, the third instalment adopted the theme of “Equinox”. Coinciding with the first day of spring, the show aimed to represent the shift between light and dark.

This intention was shared by the Creative Director Tara Sankey, who, in her opening speech, spoke of her intention to use the show to bring people together in the same way that fashion brings people together: both individually and collectively.

The show falling on the first day of spring aimed to symbolise how fashion can be a tool of expression, through which everyone is able to thrive and bloom.

As an audience member, being set under the newly arrived spring sun, the show truly had a touching and relevant meaning, as York finally begins to move out of winter, into the new warmer months of growth.

Having attended the last show in November, this theme felt even more touching. The society has truly striven in the past 12 months to foster a community of fashion and creativity across the University of York. While it might have been the first day of spring, Equinox truly reflected how Astra has worked to bring people together in the past 12 months.

THE DESIGNERS

The show featured over 80 designers – all independent and many local to York, with some fashion items on sale in Spark.

Featuring local designers across the 80 looks modelled, Astra truly furthered its emphasis on community amongst students and locals alike.

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BROOK

Following on from its winter show, which raised over £6,000 for the Pink Ribbon Foundation, the spring show turned its attention to raising money for “Brook”, a sexual health and well being charity, which offers free and confidential sexual health support for people of all ages.

Currently Astra has raised £2, 082 for the charity, through the fashion show and fundraising events organised in the run up,  true emphasis of its work to normalise the discussion around sex at university.

When asked about the choice of brook and what it means to them as student, models and committee members alike emphasised the importance of normalising the conversation’s around sex at university.

One of the models spoke to The York Tab about the importance of Brook as its charity. They said: “We are all having sex. So why aren’t we talking about it”.

Through the choice of charity and success in fundraising, the society has truly taken steps to achieve the goal of normalising this conversation.

LEGACY

Equinox brought together the cumulation of two years of hard work and growth for the Astra committee. With both co-chairs, Tara Sankey and Izzy Bendall, graduating this year, they shared how far they have come from their original goal:

“Our goal in 2024 was to solidify a University of York Charity Fashion Show, much like Durham or St Andrews”.

Having striven to cement the show into the University calendar in the last 12 months, the goal is becoming a reality, and changing the future of York fashion forever.

As the committee shifts to incorporate younger years and the new generation of Astra at the end of this academic year, Tara and Izzy commented on their hopes for the future of Astra.

In their closing speech they said: “We hope they do us proud and conquer the charity fashion show scene amongst Russel Group Universities. We just hope Astra remains charitable and for a good cause with good intentions”.

Giving us the inside intel, the new committee is already in talks regarding the Winter show, suggesting the charity will again be the Pink Ribbon Foundation, expressing hope that this relationship will become solidified.

With talks of such growth, it is clearly evident that Astra is here to stay and will shortly be returning under a new set of hands…