Lights, camera…strut your stuff for charity. Last Thursday night brought the hotly anticipated RAG Fashion Show to the Union- turning up the heat and adding far more raunchiness than the Refectory is used to. Running on the theme of the Seven Deadly Sins, clothing, et and stage personas were all themed according, with lust and pride coming through as dominating ideas in an ambitious showcase full of amped-up attitude. A steamy show it was, with scantily clad models, lingerie showcases and students storming the stage with oodles of panache.
Hailed as the hottest event on the University calendar, Director’s Olivia Strong and Stephanie Nicolaides did RAG proud, acting as the stars of the show when months of hard work paid off and the audience broke out into an elevated applaud at the end of the show. Doing well to score some major sponsors, GHD and Harvey Nichols helped make the show a resounding success, with style to inspire and clothes to go home dreaming about. Opting to add something a little different, variety acts were peppered throughout: a street-style dancer busted some shapes; an electronic violinist gave a spectacular performance; a harpist was even acquired to sooth us into the show.
Elsewhere, music blasted a hip-hop heavy soundtrack as models stormed the stage all dolled up and glam. There was a variety of evening wear looks and beautiful bridal gowns, but the audience’s whoops came with the skimpier ensembles. Confident guys and gals dared to bare, stepping out in saucy lingerie collection that gave a generous flash o’ cheeky derriere.
We should doff out hats to the models themselves. The girls did us proud, all leg and long locks, and not a flaw in sight; it seems modelling comes easy to these campus beauties. Then, ah, the *male* models. They could dance, they could strut, and they proved the potential results of hours spent in The Edge. Some even mastered the sultry Blue Steel, whilst others flashed cheeky grins as they lapped up the attention from the girls sat up FROW. (Show gossip, we hear Storm Model Management got wind of a few of the good-lookers, so cherish those tickets fellow show goers, they’re set to be Ebay-worthy soon.)
Raising funds for charity, this year’s proceeds went to WaterAid and Candle Lighters. Always a popular showcase, the annual event raked in a whopping £15,000 and a giant crowd to match, VIP guests were given the star-treatment as they sipped on bubbles before the show and enjoyed canapés in the form of Italian savouries and decadent millionaire shortbreads (the theme was gluttony after all…) Spoilt rotten, kind sponsors compiled giant goodie bags for the guests, with all sorts from Propercorn to Body Shop products to dazzling discount vouchers.
When the lights went down and the speeches were spoken, the models led the way to the after party, with guests and photographers following suite to share a spot of the glamour. Partying well in to the wee hours at Oracle Bar, we imagine late starts were likely on Friday, scattered with Party Feet singles and false eyelash remnants. (They might be models but they’re only human after all.)
Rolling the celebrations right through to the next week, Tuesday saw an equally decadent night of discounts and delectable. Harvey Nichols hosted the show’s closing party, running with the Seven Sins theme by treating guests to 10% discount and champagne to fuel guilty shopping sprees.
Until next year, that’s a wrap for RAG.
Words: Alice Tate