DONT WALK 2012 in review

Kenna Bisset reviews the highly-anticipated show for DW2012.

Saturday evening — as the sun descended over the hills, so the stage rose and the scene was set for DONT WALK 2012. As a privileged member of the press I was allowed a previous showing of the venue before the guests arrived. A stunningly lit catwalk emerged from the darkness and soft blue and silver lighting lit the guests tables. This was my first ever St Andrew’s fashion show, and I was already impressed. The guest bags were filled to the brim with goodies and the tables were littered with everything you could need from champagne to Bibi’s cupcakes. The amount of work and effort was clear and every detail had been thought of, including DONT WALK 2012 luggage tags, which hung from the ceiling and made everything just that little more intimate.

 
Once guests started to arrive I noticed that, even from the staff and crew, no expense had been spared and no corner cut in promoting a dazzling appearance. Girls shimmied in sequins and strutted in lust-worthy shoes whilst the boys pulled out every stop and were appropriately suited and booted. Fashion trends were everywhere from the 1920’s Great Gatsby style dresses to coloured chinos and socks in the men’s department. If this was anything to go by, the show would be incredible.

And it didn’t disappoint.

The models exploded on stage to a heavy beat and sporting silver masks in the darkness.  Once removed, the masks allowed for the true beauty to emerge and thanks to the help of Bobby Brown and Toni and Guy, everybody on that stage looked sensational. The music could not have been faulted and had the crowd dancing even before the first collection was introduced. As the champagne flowed so did the female models, who owned every aspect of the catwalk. Their confidence and sex-appeal oozed as they swung their hips and gave cheeky winks to the lucky admirers. The boys were perhaps a little tentative at first, just dipping their toes in and testing the water, but soon gained confidence and threw themselves at the crowd, dancing their way down the catwalk.

The show featured a large range of underwear and swimsuit collection, appropriate for the coming summer months. Cute printed dresses from Goldie of London, By Malina and Aqua proved to be an instant crowd pleaser and contrasted some of the beautiful and sweeping ball gowns ensuring that everything you needed to have to party this season was taken care of. However if it was lingerie you were searching for then look no further! Collections from Celine Pinckers, Zinke, and Artemis South all played to different tastes allowing for a fantastic range and perhaps that well needed excuse to go shopping.

The boys featured some of the more quirky brands with printed t-shirts by Giggle Juice Inc and coloured shorts obviously appearing as some of the biggest hits. Another favorite was the printed shirt and light weight blazers in pastel colors, ideal for summer and looked fantastic on the models themselves.

The half time auction ensured that the atmosphere was kept ticking over and the music continued to impress. The second half was met with a deafening cheer and the models danced their way back on to the stage. The informal set of the catwalk itself allowed the models to interact and with the audience allowing for that all important personal touch- the high fives and kisses from the models ensured that everybody felt as much a part of the show as the next person.

The after party soon kicked off and everyone headed down to celebrate what had truly been a fantastic night. The organizers deserve all the credit that come their way as they pulled off one of the best shows I have attended.

 Photos © Celeste Sloman