by Hila Davies
Two weeks ago, I had the honour of attending LSE’s first RAGxAU fashion show. Quoted to be the largest capacity event the Marshall Building has ever held, this expertly planned show by Noor Mansuri, Trinity Chan, and the RAG team was the perfect culmination of curated excellence and good, old-fashioned fun.
Split into three rounds (Elevated Basics, 2023-2000: Y2K/Gorpcore, and Black Tie with a Twist), the 18 student models strutted down the runway in everything from crocs and socks to feather-adorned cocktail dresses. Curated by a team of stylists, led by Dan Guthrie, all the pieces were either from personal wardrobes, second-hand or lended by independent designers. The drab walls of the Marshall Building have never seen such colour and excitement. The looks were professional and sleek, showing the audience of over 350+ that fast fashion, or high-end designer wear, is not the only way to achieve a look.
The atmosphere was electric. The creative team took the fashion show brief seriously, and it paid off. With rows of seats forming a catwalk throughout the Grand Hall, I found myself adopting an Anna Wintour persona, expecting to see a rogue Kardashian-Jenner seated opposite me. The models, whilst not professionals (as we were reminded by the brilliant host, Ollie Scrivens), adopted the perfect ‘grumpy model’ facial expressions, or for those of you who have watched ‘Triangle of Sadness’: the perfect ‘Balenciaga’.
A special mention must also go to the Marshall Building security team who volunteered their time to work the event. Chatting to them before the event, as we all vibed to the DJ’s remixes of Lady Gaga, I expect they would have liked to participate in the ‘People’s Round’ – a last minute change to the programme that featured members of the audience strutting their stuff. My personal favourite look was a student in a mint-green pantsuit, topped with a sunshine orange beret – as the theme says, she was ‘Dress[ed] to Impress’. It was a beautiful showing of camaraderie, confidence and self-love.
Whilst Minouche Shafik could not be in attendance due to a conflicting event, she expressed her excitement about the event. I look forward to a directorial staff round next year.
All proceeds from the event went towards RAG’s charities – Fat Macy’s, Wonder Foundation, and ReachOut.
