Discussing 'Revival': FS2023 and its Creative Concept

By Jake Erlewine

The St Andrews Charity Fashion Show (FS) is one of the largest student-run fashion shows in the United Kingdom. From marketing to execution, the creative framework behind the spectacle is immediately evident. FS’ Creative Team, led by Brynn Hanson, developed the show around the theme of ‘Revival’. This alludes to the tension between escaping the present and confronting the past, as inherent within vintage fashion. Against the background of a constantly changing video-collage depicting many of the cultural touchstones that embodied their eras’ zeitgeists, FS took its audience on a journey through the decades, beginning from the 1960s and ending squarely in the 2000s.

Photograph taken by the author

A prime example of the show’s emphasis of ‘looking back’ to ‘reflect on modes of looking forward’ arose with one of the show’s most memorable images: three models, clad in the instantly recognisable Warm & Wonderful Black Sheep Sweater, worn once by Princess Diana. The original statement made by Diana concerning this jumper’s symbolism - that of being the odd one out within the Royal Family - is turned on its head in this context, with the jumper itself serving as a perfect symbol of the values of FS. The sustainability and craftsmanship which Warm & Wonderful applies to each of its garments (an individual sweater takes six hours to make) is an approach that is seldom seen by a brand that ships globally. By exhibiting these pieces, FS affirm that they embrace the identity of being a ‘black sheep’, walking a tightrope between the local and the global, the artisan and the factory.

While there was an incredible selection of iconic styles and profiles on the runway last Friday, the juxtaposition of timeless pieces and vintage-inspired works by contemporary designers connected current trends in fashion with the escapism prevalent in today’s cultural consciousness, creating a stylistic thesis on the cyclical nature of fashion. Chief among the contemporary designers exhibiting works was Long Island artist Blair Borthwick, whose abstract designs employed a saccharine color palette evoking the disco-inspired looks of the 1970s. In particular, the blouse pictured below utilizes an explosion of incredibly saturated colour, while still leaving enough negative space exposed to draw attention to the model’s profile. Not only is it an unforgettable piece of clothing which evokes more carefree years, but the blouse is symbolic of the ever-changing nature of bespoke clothing in an era of fashion dominated by name brands. Considering that these stimulating juxtapositions were not few and far between at the show. It is undeniable that the FS team succeeded in their goal of not only encapsulating a series of fashion ‘moments that once were’, but also situating these moments in a topical, contemporary context.

FS consistently raises the bar of student fashion shows, and this year was no exception. The 2023 show was driven by a central ethos of sustainability and temporality, and the ability of the show to translate these values to the world of fashion lends it a depth that represents a refreshing take on an industry defined by its impermanence.

Photograph taken by the author