Last Saturday I had the honour of attending one of the year’s most anticipated events, the Vogue Charity Fashion Show. The theme of the show this year was Revival: Art Through the Ages. Let me tell you, it certainly lived up to its name. The energetic and innovative show was much more than a fashion show. It allowed various forms of art and expression to fuse into one fantastic showcase that was a pleasure to experience.
The promotion of the show was genius. With innovative photo shoots that could have very well been in a high-end fashion magazine and fun events like the Haunted Mansion in October and Frost Walk in February, the VCFS team was successful in making sure everyone was just as excited as they were for the show! I know I was.
I was surprised to have ended up in a VIP seat (score!) and received a cool bag filled with free goodies, including an American Apparel bow and a $25 gift card to Diva Salon and Spa downtown. The show’s main sponsor, Daniel Wellington, threw in a coupon and an interchangeable watchstrap, which was a nice touch! After I sat down, I took in the beauty of the Isabel and the stage design. It was very simple, with large pieces of vintage-style patterned fabric hanging down in layers. The simplicity of it was great because the focus would solely be on the performers.
Now, onto the fun part: the actual show. This three-hour show did not feel like three hours at all. It was entertaining from the beginning to the end. The one thing that inspired me was the finesse of the show. It was so polished and ran so smoothly that it was evident that so much effort had been put forth into its production. It was divided into two acts, Act 1 and Act 2, where both acts had modelling, dancing, and music. Singers got to share their talent (and they were amazing!) and a variety of dance genres were enjoyed: hip-hop, ballet, lyrical, etc. The models wore student designed clothing in their scenes. These designs were impeccable and, in my opinion, worthy of being showcased in the Toronto Fashion Week. I know I’ve already mentioned it in this article but boy, are Queen’s students talented!
The most important aspect of the show was the fact that they were raising money for charity, which was amazing. This year, they decided to raise money for Jack.org, a foundation dedicated to raising awareness on mental health issues. The last scene of Act 2 was a mental health dance showing the effects of depression, how mental health issues can weigh down on a person and the fact that everything will be okay. Not going to lie, but that scene had my eyes all teary. All I have to say is kudos to the music department for using Coldplay’s “Fix You” in that scene. It really moved me and the fact that Queen’s and VCFS are doing so much to end the stigma against mental health is inspiring.
Overall, I’d say the show was worth the wait. It was an enjoyable time and I’m already excited to see what’s in store for next year.