Danielle Courtney | Contributing Writer
The Trinity College Fashion Show 2014, the third annual catwalk event by TCD Fashion Society, took place in the Smock Alley Theatre last week. The show continues to evolve and garner attention from the fashion world, and this year was no exception. Having raised €4,595 last year for charity, the organisers chose Barretstown camp for children as this years deserving cause. The show commenced with an emotive speech for a Barretstown volunteer Andrew Sheppard, whose brother had attended a camp for critically ill children, and how he’d excelled with the help of the organization.
The theme of this year’s show was “Welcome to the Kingdom” and the models traipsed down the flower lined runway to a DJ set by Trinity’s own Sophie Murphy, including haunting tracks by London Grammar and Lana Del Rey. The first looks incorporated minimal tailoring, a fresh and spring worthy ensemble of block colours that was effortlessly chic. Mint and white were the key colours, as the models with natural makeup and braided hair sauntered past the audience to the end of the catwalk, where several photographers frantically snapped. LA College of Creative Arts once again providing makeup artists for this year’s show. Bold geometric prints were the next looks to follow, with an addition of tartan in pastel colours, and a male model making an appearance in a traditional kilt.
This years show saw a wealth of home grown Irish brands, from the newly launched Dublin clothing line Mark’s Experiment, to design prodigy Mark McNulty who is a secondary school student. Local vintage stores were also prominent with 9 Crow Street, Harlequin and Om Diva. Favorite high-street stores present as always from BT2, to Warehouse and Topman. Alike the brands taking part, Irish media were also keen to help the event, with the show’s press release featured on several news websites including RTE and Image magazine.
After a choral performance of tribal music, the chair of the Fashion Society Hettie Halden, took to the catwalk leading several other society chairs, including Fish Soc, DU Dance, TTV and more in wonderfully bright costume pieces each symbolizing elements of their society. The formal wear section was to follow, and saw a huge focus on jewel brights and opulent beading, the models now wearing glittering red lips and several sported large floral garlands. The men stuck to casual tailoring, from breton tops, to chinos and cobalt suits, closing with a classic Bond style tux. Far too quickly the show was over, and the guests moved onto a cocktail party in the Odessa, to discuss the Spring/Summer ‘14 trends.
Photography by Katie Black.
