How Scotland's St. Andrews Don't Walk Fashion Show Was Created
In the heart of Scotland, there's a tiny town the size of several New York City blocks. It’s tucked between lush farmland and a shoreline that appears to be hand-crafted from the lines of epic English sonnets. At first glance, St Andrews is quaint and unassuming — and yet, it is home to the largest student-run fashion shows in the world: runways that boast contributions from respected couture houses like Chanel and trailblazers like Raf Simons, and once upon a time featured a young Kate Middleton as a student model. It's also the home of the "Don’t Walk Fashion Show," an annual showcase of both student and professional designers. Scroll down to see how this popular fashion showcase came to life.
1/8The Don’t Walk Fashion Show was first founded in 2001, in response to the 9/11 attacks. A group of multicultural students at the University of St. Andrews, of all different nationalities and backgrounds, came together after the tragedy. They shared a desire to aid in relief efforts, but battled a feeling of helplessness resulting from being so far from New York and so isolated in Scotland.
It was from this space — a commitment to help the global community heal — that the concept of Don’t Walk was born: a show entirely organized by and featuring students, that would combine fashion, art, and performance. The goal? To simultaneously start a public discourse around structural inequality, while also raising money for the city of New York.
2/8Like many passion projects, "Don't Walk" starts with a dedicated staff. The board members go through an application process similar to any job interview, and 200 people compete for 35 coveted spots. In order to get the gig, hopefuls have to display a combination of experience, talent, and enthusiasm — especially for charity.
How does one navigate the blurred lines between friendship and professionalism, as a University student? “Respect,” Polina Stavrosk, the 20-year-old Head of Marketing says. “You can’t be sensitive when making mistakes. It’s not personal, even if it’s coming from someone you consider family.”
3/880% of funds come from ticket sales, which price-wise are split into VIP, standard, and after-party tickets, respectively. The team knows that the tickets are not cheap (standard event-goers pay around $150 to attend), but insist that the steep price is necessary in order to attract and afford renowned artists.
They promise ticket-holders will get more bang for their buck: this year’s after-party featured emerging grime artist AJ Tracey, along with popular electronic DJs Whethan and Louis the Child. Still, "Don’t Walk" understands that it has work to do when it comes to inclusivity, and each board member plans to do their part. This year, the show hosted raffle nights at a local bar, where lower-income students could enter to win tickets.
4/8And let’s not forget about the fashion element: this year’s show included looks from art school graduates who are experimenting with texture and structure, as well as the new collection of the headliner, New York-based designer, Anna Sui.
Alexandra Rayner, the 22-year-old Head of Fashion, spends a year handpicking every designer, from streetwear and lingerie to the avant-garde, but she has about a week to put it all together. The end product is an incredibly diverse group of 26 designers, based everywhere from Hungary to Nigeria.
“We like to put on a spectacle,” Rayner tells Teen Vogue. Additionally, this year’s show embraced gender-inclusivity: all samples were considered unisex.
5/8Don’t Walk casts a racially diverse group of models, and gives all of its participants the platform to be themselves. “It’s not about a type of look or style, or who can fit into the right clothes,” Elikem Logan, a 19-year-old student model from Ghana, tells Teen Vogue. “It’s about how well you do you.”
6/8Sam Halterman, the 20-year-old Executive Director of "Don't Walk", decided this year’s show would focus on allowing the audience to escape into a fantastical reality. Throughout the year, the team released two teaser videos: the first was shot in a bunker and appeared to be dystopian, while the second, a lingerie shoot, represented the ethereal fantastic. For the actual show, Halterman settled on using outer space as a metaphor for the ultimate escape, but with a twist. “The truth is, space is a far more hostile place than earth,” Halterman tells Teen Vogue.
7/8Inspired by an Alexander Mcqueen presentation featuring figures in boxes, Halterman and Stavroski came up with the concept to hire students to paint themselves like silver orbs, and dance behind a translucent screen. “It’s the idea that we’re trapped in our own escape,” Halterman explains. During a time of extreme socio-political duress, when the world feels particular apocalyptic, St. Andrews students are proving time and time again, through both their conceptual landscape and charitable work, that fashion is inherently political.
8/8Want more Teen Vogue? Like us on facebook.com to stay in the know!
