This article was originally submitted on the 25th March
On Saturday the 19th of March, Edinburgh’s own eclectic cultural milieu assembled at The National Museum of Scotland for the long-anticipated ECFS 2022 show. And, after a two year Covid induced hiatus, the show did not disappoint. Under the direction of chairwoman Poppy Howard-Wall, the Renaissance on the Runway themed event truly did offer a vibrant rebirth of the high-spirited social events that are at the heart of the Edinburgh experience.
The venue, The National Museum of Scotland, offered a jaw-droppingly immense space that beautifully housed the event. Upon entrance to the main hall, guests were spellbound by the grandeur of the scene, as the artefacts and antiquities housed in the glass cabinets of the museum were lit up by the neon lights of the show, with the catwalk seamlessly interwoven between historical statues and monuments, brilliantly fusing the old and the new in an engaging and aesthetic innovation. Such an alluring paradox was continued in the interval performances, in which black-tie dressed guests, favouring Rat and Boa and Armstrong’s afghans, bopped along to Zoft in the underground stone vaults of the museum, a singular experience that honestly couldn’t have felt more Gossip Girl if it tried (the original, not the reboot, of course).
Another star feature of the show was the diverse community of models curated by the ECFS team, whose professionalism and confidence was enviably impressive, as they effortlessly navigated the twisting runway to the accompaniment of proud cheers and DJ Seren Seo. Equally impressive and varied were the styles of the show, where there really was something for everyone. Featuring a myriad of textures; mesh, silk, fur, leather, denim; the catwalk was a tactile exploration and education in style and sensation. From styled vintage pieces by everyone’s favourite pop-up hostess, glowincvintage, to tartan gloves so oversized they needed three people to carry them, the looks encapsulated everything from ready-to-wear looks to true pieces of art.
But at the heart of the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show was, of course, charity. All of the funds raised by the event have been donated to the shows charity partners, Mellon Educate, an Irish-based African development charity, who are committed to increasing access to and the standard of education for hundreds of children, and Strut Safe, a free, non-judgemental service dedicated to protecting everyone in the Edinburgh community by getting them home safe. In regards to their sponsors, ECFS described how “these two incredible charities support causes central to our experience as students: safety and education. In this era of rebirth and renaissance, ECFS hopes that with your help we can raise as much money as possible to support these projects to make us all safer in our day to day while extending and improving education for hundreds of children.”
And so, whilst you will need to put aside a sizeable chunk of your student loan for a ticket, all proceeds go to a good cause, and the event truly is worth it, as it is a night that cannot be missed.
Images Courtesy of Eleanor Beaven
