Diversity is alive and kicking stereotypes off the catwalk
Brookes Fashion Society Charity Catwalk Show – Diversity is alive and kicking stereotypes off the catwalk here in Oxford
Brookes Fashion Society held a charity Catwalk show in Oxford last Friday (28-11-14) at Oxford Brookes University’s Henry Brookes Building. Photos: James Alexander Lyon
Contrary to what people might think of Oxford with its University and colleges, research programmes and old established businesses and trades, the catwalks aren’t littered with stick thin Caucasians wearing unaffordable clothes. Instead Brookes Fashion Society chose a broad cross-section of students, some of whom had modelled before for Oxford Fashion Week to model the charity clothes to dramatic effect.
Walking to live music, the show started with wedding dresses from Clic Sargent, then menswear from Helen & Douglas House and finishing with evening dresses from Sue Ryder.
In a age of brand obsession and stereo-typically catwalk models it was not only refreshing to see a wealth of diversity in both body-size and ethnicity, but the designs that were worn look every bit as valuable and well placed as could be seen on any international catwalk
The producer and director of the Brookes Fashion Society event Anh Nguyen, who lives in Headington and studying at Oxford Brookes, headed a team of some 29 students, makeup artists, hair stylists Walton & Giles (New son in Jericho) as well as the fabulous milliner Jayne Elizabeth from Bicester.