| INTERFASHIONAL: |
|
|
|
More Than Just a Fashion Show by Petrina De Gouttes
Interfashional is the brainchild of students Josef O’Connor and Henry Marment. Aiming to raise money for Breast Cancer Care and Cancer Research, the two Tiffin Grammar School sixth formers decided to organise a Charity Fashion Show on 21st April; comprising of a catwalk, live music and an auction.
I spotted many S/S 07 inspired pieces, including a pink PVC trench coat hinting at this seasons futuristic space look, alongside that was a metallic gold sleeveless dress, with a sky high hemline (something we’ve got used to since last September!). Other pieces that got sent down the catwalk had A/W 07 leather feel to it, headed by designers such as Christopher Kane and Alexander McQueen, the models on the Interfashional catwalk wore bus red leather trouser and skirt combinations.
What’s black and white with a tad bit of red? This extrovert Zebra print outfit! Now personally, I’m not a great fan of all that is animal print (especially with the recent overrated leopard print saga), but when this outfit came out from behind the wings, I literally said, ‘wow’. Strutting down the catwalk, the model managed to work this outfit so well, it was amazing. After that, came a crinoline skirt with glow wristbands attached to it, it was an interesting piece, one of my favourites along with a printed dress that held a striking resemblance to aboriginal art work.
Adding to the humour of the night, several teachers posed as models. A tartan suit worn by an art teacher led the way. He took off the jacket mid-runway to reveal the slogan, ‘ART LEADS’, and when he turned around, unveiled was the phrase, ‘OTHERS FOLLOW’. Genius. The boys of the catwalk wore creations from Eat Cake Clothing, Buzzta (the designer that made the fantastic aboriginal print dress) and many more. They also made use of their bodies, in a Mark Wahlberg for Calvin Klein kind of way, allowing fluorescent body paint to make art of their physique.
Entertainment for the night came from singer, beat boxer and producer Frank Musik, performing his song ‘3 Little Words’, available on his E.P, whilst looking every bit the style Casanova in white and grey Bapestas- clearly the trainer of the moment. As well as Namalee, who performed ‘U Glo Girl’, sporting old skool dungarees and Air Force Ones. Her outfit had a very American 80’s feel to it - minus the shoulder pads!
The most memorable act of the night had to be Manoj - a Michael Jackson impersonator. He danced with two little sidekicks and put on a convincing performance of the man himself. The oh-so talented Niyi provided the catwalk remixes, as did Buster Bennett who are both big on London’s clubbing circuit, performing at such places like Notting Hill Arts Club, Scala and Bar Music Hall. Interfashional was truly a showcase of young talent, portraying the positives of adolescence. The fact that established designer Zandra Rhodes was seated in the audience with Sir Peter Blake just proved that if you have enough dedication and time to do something for charity, nothing is out of reach. It was full of life, in the sense that it had drama, humour and passion. What made the event so spectacular was that there were no boundaries of age, culture and even size – it was truly interfashional.
3 Questions with Zandra Rhodes
1. What did you think of the show? Zandra: I was very impressed by the hard work put into the show. I loved the enthusiasm of the whole thing. 2. What are you doing at the moment in the way of fashion? Zandra: I’m trying to work out new prints for next season, so I’m rushed off my feet! 3. What advice do you have to anyone trying to get into the fashion industry? Zandra: Don’t give up on yourself, make sure you stick to what you believe in, and strength comes in numbers. By Petrina De Gouttes
Photographs from:
|
After being seated for a few seconds, anticipation and suspense began to build. Was it going to be good? And what kind of clothing would be present? Were two of the many questions rushing through my mind. However, as soon as the catwalk was revealed, I was in awe. Photographers and amateurs began clicking away, completely bedazzled by what had been presented to us: a layout that held a striking resemblance to any high fashion runway, with the words ‘INTERFASHIONAL’ emblazoned across two white boards. The white drapes created a simple yet professional atmosphere and it immediately captured the attention of the audience. 
