KCL Fashion Show SS25: Opulence & The Everyday

Keyuri Gawde
21 minutes ago
4 min read

Presented at the Great Hall on Strand Campus, KCL Fashion Society’s most recent Charity Fashion Show featured three exciting new designers. The collections were an artful display, expressing identity, showcasing talent, and drawing on the heights of 18th century French bourgeoisie opulence. Each showcase was preceded with music. Bands such as the Blue Giant Quartet, Horizon Blues, and Lower Ground, performed their own renditions of popular songs, ranging from Sprinter by Dave & Central Cee to Black to Back by Amy Winehouse.

The pieces of ACT 1, were embedded in experiments of material, structure, and pattern. Choosing to focus on the natural world, a standout look from this collection was entitled ‘From Resin To Tide’ by Pauline. Inspired by the ocean, the shimmers and fluid structures of the two dresses were a tasteful manipulation of fabric that evoked notions of dynamic waves. Both models were adorned in pearly blues and beiges, as if they were still drenched from the water, perhaps mirroring fantastical imagery of mermaids. The carefully placed waves on the garments complimented the flows of the material, in particular as one of the skirts was adorned with what seemed to be octopus tentacles, a playful callback to the theme. Structural manipulation that continued in the following look, “Senescence”. Linh Haugan manipulated a cream fabric into a beautifully blended architectural composition that mimicked a butterfly. Geometric patterns that draw on imagery of decay and regeneration in a world of fragility.

Nature continued to be an inspiration in “Quill Plié” by Theoni Kanoutas. Inspired by Degas’ paintings of ballerinas there were two models, one of which evoked a gorgeously feathered bird, and the other a graceful ballerina. The former had beautiful wings and a purse enriched with feathers, the other had a colour palette of pastel blues and pinks, accessorised with ribbons in her hair and dress. This juxtaposition embraced the choreographies of nature, the delicately embellished fabrics making it seem as if the two looks were dancing along the runway together.

ACT 2, leaned into the everyday , upcycling and repurposing the materials and clothes you can find in your own wardrobe, reimagining them into a world of elevated elegance. A personal standout from this act was “One Society” by Mona-Lisa. Here, workout clothes were paired with streetwear trends.The models wore sustainable pieces like hoodies and joggers whilst carrying accessories like skateboards, roller blades, and earphones down the runway as if they were casually yet fashionably heading to a workout.

“Revive” by Austeja similarly upcycled the old, in this case denim. Denim, a staple material in fashion throughout the decades that was initially predominately used in workwear, first became ‘fashionable’ in the 60s. It gained momentum as a staple of youth subcultures and by the 70s was one of the most popular fabrics in the world. Here, we see the material taking a new stylish form as a dress embellished with light pink coquette ribbons. The collection as a whole retained the ongoing theme of mixing the old with the new to create something in and of itself, whilst maintaining sustainability through practices of upcycling.

Finally we reached the ‘Fantasy Collection’ of ACT 3. These garments were intertwined with stories from another world, allowing one’s mind to get lost in their imagination and creativity. “Sleepwalk” by FAH repurposed bed sheets and covers of vibrant colours and patterns to be turned into wearable garments like baggy jumpsuits. The models had colourful makeup under their eyes echoing eye bags from a lack of sleep, and their walks down the runway were slow and somber as if they were sleepwalking themselves. It reads like a story of struggle, these individuals trying to find their way or to find peace, but held back by their tiredness and disillusionment from the world.

The standout of the whole show was House of Alvin’s “Antoinette 1999”, a practice in excess and drama. The collection told the story of five heiresses who wear haute couture for a night of clubbing. The first model was bride-like, her all white dress in an exaggerated yet gorgeous silhouette of a cinched waist and a gently rounded bottom, and veil which cascaded all the way to the floor.There was an immediate contrast in tone however, as the music changed from something akin to a royal ball to the electronic beats of a rave, and the rest of the models took to the runway. There were no more corsets or cage crinolines, and the catwalks were performed with so much purpose. One of the pieces was a mini dress, in a similar style to 18th Century French fashion, but now blended with a fur coat and white lace stockings. It was a sexy showcase of defiance, reinventing historic luxury fashion to be contemporary and diva-esque.

The SS25 Collection has been the perfect showcase of the vision KCL’s student body holds. The diversity amongst our creative talents is crystal clear in every stitch, pattern, and thread prevalent in each garment. We went on a journey of redefining old or everyday looks to create new stories. Whether it was recontextualising the ocean, a popular style of streetwear, or even an era like 18th Century Franece, each designer leaned into what it meant to reinvent and adapt into a contemporary world.