Review: FS – The After-Party

Saturday night saw the return of the highly-anticipated highlight of the social calendar: St Andrews University Charity Fashion Show. As the biggest university fashion show in UK now in it’s 22nd year, FS just keeps getting better and better. After the show’s finale at around 10:15 there followed the official FS After Party: Stop Start. Guests from the show were ushered to the other side of the vast venue set up on Lower College Lawns, joining hundreds more who for £20 arrived solely for the after party. Stop Start was put on by the Yacht Week, a company offering holidays in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Alll guests were entered into a raffle to win a week with them which was a really novel idea to ensure a sell-out night.

Every year the theme and decor are different. With last year’s ‘White Space*’ seeing a canopy of illuminated umbrellas, this year mood lighting in the form of flickering bulbs encompassed the theme of ‘Bright Young Things,’ with hand-illustrated fashion prints hanging above the bar, giving a luxurious, bespoke feel. The room was well laid-out, hemmed in by a long bar on one side and towering DJ booth to the other. The iconic, mustachioed Tatler photographer and a photo booth enhanced the atmosphere, capturing the students decked out in their finest.

A host of DJs from St Andrew’s past and present provided thumping music to really get the party started, such as our very own fourth year, Alex Bryson (A.C.B) and returner John Christian. Although very much over-shadowed by such a spectacle that was the show, it began as a relatively sociable environment, with midnight seeing the party really kicking off.

I caught up with Olivia Sumrie after the show, an FS model of two years who shed some light on the after party from an insider’s view. She told me: “I loved the after party so much this year as I felt the music was a little more well known, but I did love last year’s White Spaces.” When asked about how she thought it went following the show itself she replied: “although the show is such a spectacle and you can’t really compare, I just wanted to completely let loose after the show!” Pretty fair point.

Overall, FS was such an intense experience for guests that the after party had issues on how to maintain guest’s energy levels and match the dynamism of such an exciting atmosphere. The brief power cut in the middle of the night somewhat hampered proceedings, yet it was quickly resumed and the party continued.  However all things considered, Stop Start was a fitting tribute to follow FS; echoing it’s attention to detail with the music, décor and atmosphere; ending a spectacular night in St Andrews.

No pressure, DONT WALK…