Why the Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show is better than the St Andrews one

The St Andrews annual Charity Fashion Show is the largest student-run organisation in the UK, and this year there were 1500 guests in attendance. But, it’s rivaled by Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show, a relatively new charitable organisation founded in 2015.

GUCFS 2016

GUCFS is better and the reason is this: the St Andrews show is far too prestigious.

Sure, there is no denying the student body puts in a phenomenal amount of work, but surely it should be more focused on the students and the proposed charity rather than the appearance of prestigious designers and the promise of expensive auction prizes?

Fendi and Topman were just two of the aforementioned designers, whereas GUCFS stayed true to Glaswegian and Scottish heritage by featuring designers like Ryan Cowie and Siobhan Mackenzie. Additionally, the fact that up-and-coming brands like Never Monday were featured presented the show with a raw edginess, complimented by the event location in the SWG3 warehouse.

SWG3 warehouse

GUCFS hosts an exciting raffle, with prizes including an £100 Boohoo.com voucher. St Andrews FS, on the other hand, hosts an auction which is often a chance for well-off students to showcase how much money they have. Guests bidded for dates with models, a concept which immediately elevates the models above regular students, heightening the vanity of the show.

The St Andrews FS is infamous due to models being clad in skimpy underwear or see through clothing – the attire that the Duchess of Cambridge wore when she caught Prince William’s eye for the first time. Of course, underwear was featured in the GUCFS, but it was tastefully worn, ensuring that the moment was all about the fashion designs and not about how the models appeared.

Tasteful clothing

It can’t be denied that both shows raise a large amount for their proposed charities, but perhaps St Andrews could endeavor to put more focus on theirs. Who, as a student, can actually afford Fendi designs anyway?

GUCFS clearly has more character and is very charity-focussed, and the organisation is sure to grow with each coming year.