We spoke to the faces of Edinburgh’s 2017 Fashion Show

The 2017 Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show looks set to be the coolest event on Edinburgh’s social calendar. In aid of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity, the show will take place on 11^th March in no less than the National Museum of Scotland.

we spoke to the Creative Director, Fashion director and five beautiful models to find out all the gossip.

Lia, Creative Director – Fine Art Painting, Fourth Year

This year’s theme is the ‘Future of Fashion’, which Lia describes as an “ethereal, alien, dystopian aesthetic”. And, as a completely student-run show, in a very real way ECFS 2017 is the future of fashion. This is Lia’s first time being involved in the show and she describes being Creative Director as her “dream job”. It is “an incredible opportunity for creative freedom” which she could not recommend more.

Each year the fashion show seems wildly different from the last and this year is no exception. “The team has not repeated itself at all” and it is a “completely new topic” so there is a lot to be excited about. There is a huge focus on androgyny, but Lia also sees the show as being about “feminity and female empowerment” – which is obviously very current in a post-Trump world.

For this reason, Lia emphasises that they have aimed for “diversity” when casting models. Limited by “sample sizes from designers” however, all the models do seem to be tall and slender. Yet they are “healthy”. Place2Be is a mental health charity for children and, as such, the committee is hugely aware of “not wanting to give any unhealthy ideals”. Lia especially sees “curvy models” as an “amazing direction for fashion” to go in.

Issy, Fashion Director – English Literature and Philosophy, Third Year

Issy sees ECFS as “separate from other uni shows because it’s created as a fashion show” – it is a presentation of “the best talent”, not just a social event. As Fashion Director, Issy loves the androgyny of this year’s show for its opportunities with silhouettes and proportions. “Designers are happy” for her to put a girl in men’s clothing and vice versa. She sees a movement towards the “gender-neutral” that translates, for example, to there being not much “room for high heels anymore in fashion”.

The show will be a huge spectacle of course, but the committee also wants it to be “accessible to students and young people in Edinburgh”. The graduate collections and high-end labels (look out on Facebook for brand releases) are ready-to-wear and so the looks from the show may well translate onto Edinburgh’s street style this spring.

The Models

Alice – English Literature, Second Year

Only having modelled for art projects before, but being interested in fashion journalism, Alice turned up to castings after seeing a poster in the ECA. Alice has already part in one of many upcoming editorial shoots – she describes it as “not a lot of work, but a lot of concentration”. Mostly though, “a lot of fun”.

Paula – Social and Economic History, Fourth Year

Paula was scouted in 3rd-year but, too shy, never turned up for the castings. However, she reviewed last year’s show for The Student and enjoyed it so much she decided it was too good of an opportunity to miss.

Nick – Medicine, First Year

His first time modelling, Nick describes the experience as “surreal”. Scouted shopping in Zara on Princes Street to the jealousy of a friend he says it is very much out of his comfort zone, but he “likes it”. Though having makeup put on for the first time for headshots was apparently “scary”.

Benjamin – Philosophy and Politics, Fourth Year

A professional by now, this is Benjamin’s third year modelling for the show. Scouted outside the library nearly four years ago he thinks that although they’ve only done the headshots so far it is already “very different from last year’s more understated and classic” look. The “very pretty”, silvery makeup is the same for boys and girls alike and has already caused much entertainment.

When photographing the headshots around Napier University he couldn’t help noticing the stares of passers-by as semi-naked silver men walked the streets while five 6ft models were squeezed into a Mini Cooper.

Eduardo – Economics, Fourth Year

Eduardo, surprisingly (given his cheekbones) has never modelled before. Despite this he seems pretty relaxed about the experience. He hasn’t even “thought about” being nervous for the show yet.

Photography: Emily Barton