Cantabs in ‘bondage’ gear attract national attention at Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show

In its second incarnation since its founding last year, the 2016 Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show was bigger and much, much brasher.

If Germaine Greer called the Sun’s website “a phantasmagoria of nipples” when she spoke at the Union last Lent, she probably wasn’t expecting Cantabs to bring the nation’s favourite redtop to the Corn Exchange, where a range of male and female models graced the catwalk topless on Saturday night.

Tab BNOC Chris Jammer leads the topless charge.

Most unexpected of all, at least to the Mirror and Daily Mail, which raced to cover the show, was the appearance of female models – there were no male ones – in bondage gear.

Pippa Bull and Marina Anastasi boldly displayed the bondage-style outfits to a nearly one thousand-strong audience.

Pippa Bull seems to have enjoyed the limelight (Used with permission of CUCFS © Geoff Robinson)

Both, the Mail writes, “paraded down the catwalk in a variety of risque outfits” in confident style.

Marina, who is at Homerton Colllege, first found fame at The Tab, where she helped cover “Sidgwick Style” and ArcSoc, while Pippa studies History of Art at Gonville and Caius.

Marina Anastasi’s fifty shades (Used with permission of CUCFS © Geoff Robinson)

In addition to the bondage style, which was not emulated by the show’s male models, there were “acres of naked flesh”, including quite a few “assets” on display.

Rebecca Thomas and Pippa Bull certainly seemed set on starting a trend…

Rebecca Thomas and Pippa Bull (Used with permission of CUCFS © Geoff Robinson)

© Geoff Robinson

The show, which calls itself “Cambridge’s biggest philanthropic event”, is in aid of the charity Cambridge House.

One wonders what the Women’s Campaign, which so opposed Tab Totty half-a-dozen years ago (don’t worry, we’ve grown up), will make of this all. That there were no male models in bondage might raise eyebrows.