Written by Angelika Santaniello
Photography by Altaire Neumunz
On Wednesday, 19 February, LSESU Raising and Giving (RAG) will hold its annual charity fashion show. The show’s theme – ‘Reawakening: Threads of Resilience’ – was announced on the eponymous Instagram account on February 4, along with short previews of some of the looks that will be showcased. Looks include: ‘The Struggle: Homeless God Collection’ by Lurong Xu (who attended both the London College of Fashion and the Royal College of Art) and ‘The Fall’ by Scarlett Cowells (who is currently studying BA Fashion Pattern Cutting at the London College of Fashion).
With an influx of announcements to build anticipation among students, a broader discussion on the creative outlets offered at LSE has surfaced. The Beaver spoke to the show’s fashion and styling directors, Maria Luisa Guaccero and Giorgia Iwata, about their involvement in the RAG charity fashion show and their experiences pursuing fashion while studying at university.
Discussing what encouraged their interest in fashion, Maria Luisa and Giorgia emphasised the importance of their upbringing and the influence of their families’ encouragement of creative expression.
Maria Luisa, situating her outlook on fashion in a wider discussion on creativity, highlighted how she “found it really accessible and a culturally defining form of art or creative expression” and that fashion is “intrinsically connected” to other creative pursuits.
Conversely, Giorgia spoke about the introspection offered by an engagement in fashion, labelling it as “the utmost form of self-expression”. “It’s part of how you present yourself to the world and how other people perceive you,” she remarked.
Considering whether LSE enriched their ability to fulfil their artistic passions, the fashion and styling directors commented on the role of LSESU societies in “expanding your network and [meeting] people who have similar interests,” as Maria Luisa noted.
With the charity fashion show being a way to get involved in fashion at LSE, Giorgia encouraged individuals to approach the show from the amount “of work behind it and a way to explore your interest in fashion”.
On the matter of improving accessibility to the creative endeavours at LSE, Maria Luisa told The Beaver, “There are definitely more things that could be implemented, but I think it’s already slowly evolving.”
Discussing the tension students face between pursuing academia and engaging in the arts, Giorgia illustrated that LSE “is a very academic university and there are not that many people interested in fashion as much as music or other extra-curriculars”.
As RAG continues to prepare for the upcoming fashion show, the directors revealed insights on what attendees should look out for ahead of the show. Giorgia foregrounded the creativity and diligence of the stylists. Speaking about the show’s charity partners, Maria Luisa told The Beaver her aim with the show “is to help finance the charities that RAG is working with through displaying beautiful pieces from young designers”.
Reflecting on their personal aims with the show, Giorgia spoke about using the show as not only a means to gain practical experience in fashion – being “a break from academics” – but also to highlight the “inclusive potential” of fashion.
“There is an emphasis on accessibility,” she stressed, pointing to the barriers to entry and elitism of the fashion industry. Similarly, Maria Luisa drew attention to the show as a vessel to “bring awareness and visibility to new talent and make LSE an attractive environment for more creative individuals”.
All in all, ahead of Wednesday’s show, Maria Luisa and Giorgia alluded to a need to focus on the show as a project by RAG and its charity partners, addressing the various aspects of it, as well as enjoying the showcased looks.
