The air itself seemed to hum as I entered the town hall, climbing step after step in footwear that seemed more impractical with each passing moment. The swirls of the ceiling moulding moved in tandem with the swishes of long skirts on cool ground, dizzying and intoxicating. The night squealed in its bassinet, rife with potential, as pink and blue lights gleaned off the ornate dome ceiling and photographers fluttered around like butterflies. As we took our seats, champagne in hand, we scrutinised the crowd for our personal “Best Dressed” (incidentally, if you were in crimson and black with a stunning headdress to match, we picked you). Prior to the event, I had the pleasure of interviewing Isabel “Iggy” Clarke, President of the Oxford Fashion Gala Committee, who mentioned that a great hope of hers was that even the outfits of the Gala guests would channel the set theme of “Metamorphosis”. While this concept may not have been entirely adhered to, there were some fun interpretations. By the bar, a girl in a beaded red dress sported a take on Icarus while someone hurried past in their “finest Kafka MerchTM”. We danced, we observed, we appreciated, we drank, rinse, repeat etc.
Some of you may be thinking that the OFG was forever ago now—time seems to move at a breakneck pace in Oxford after all. Indeed, it has already been extensively reviewed, so I doubt anyone requires yet another itemised rundown of the night’s events. This begs the question; why am I still talking about it? Well, apologies to those of you who find the discourse repetitive, but I am adamant that there is still more to be said. There is widespread criticism prevalent in the aftermath of the OFG that seems, to this writer, pedantic and unfair.
Firstly, complaints of deficiencies in the event caused by its limited budget feel wholly unjustified.When I spoke with Iggy, she was candid about the challenges of putting on a student-run event, from realising your own personal limitations to acquiring sponsors (the latter being the necessary cause of the slightly discordant first runway). The Gala team were rigorously organised, reporting no major roadblocks in the planning process, but pulling off an event of this magnitude is still no mean feat. Not only must the committee balance their demanding obligations (academic and otherwise) during the organisational process, but they must also rely on their ingenuity working overtime to break even whilst still having a sizable portion of money to donate to their chosen charity, Oxford Mutual Aid. Iggy discussed the committee’s desire to give back to the local community with their charity selection, a nice choice given the transitory, “town and gown” ecology of the Oxford academic experience and the general lack of student integration into the wider city culture.
Although, of course, the marketing of the event promises a lot, I don’t see the justice nor the productivity in holding the event to Anna Wintour’s standards, and, in fact, doing so ignores the benefits of a smaller, more intimate runway show. Furthermore, the delays in timing, though slightly inconvenient, were not attributable to the Oxford Fashion Gala Committee themselves, and were advertised to the guests as soon as they were communicated to the logistics team. Some also griped that there were too few designs on the runway—but I ask you, what exactly is the alternative here? The OFG runs on a submission basis, so would it be preferable to showcase a plethora of half baked ideas instead, or have no gala at all? Personally, I think that it may have been wiser to strongly advertise the gala as a hybrid event, one that merges fashion with live music, but I do not think the lack of looks is an issue in and of itself.
Although I would like to posit myself as a defender of the OFG, this review would lack any nuance if I failed to acknowledge the shortcomings of the show. As I have already implied, it could definitely have been improved by further refinements. The stylistic choice of interspersing the runway with musical acts came across as slightly disjointed. Perhaps alternatively, one of the bands playing could have served as an additional opener for the event, as this structure could foster greater appreciation for the music itself and avoid unnecessarily awkward interludes. Personally, I was not enamoured with the rather glacial pace of the closing models considering that the others, whilst perfectly poised and professional, walked comparatively fast. Although I could see the ethereal atmosphere of elegance that the organising creatives likely intended, it resulted in a slight restlessness from the crowd. Part of the charm of runway shows is their impermanence, the idea that there is a whole magical world of the designers and models that we are only privy to for a fleeting moment. Although I do not advocate for this off the runway itself, there is a reason the fashion industry stays shrouded in mystery and exclusivity. Unfortunately, the closing walks proved just a tad too long, fostering fatigue as opposed to a renewed admiration for the visually stunning, impeccably-tailored art on display.
Although some complained that the theme was inadequately present in the designers’ work, I would argue that the issue lied rather with the lack of supporting elaboration for each look. This show could have benefited greatly from a programme delineating the meaning behind the garments on display. Ironically though, I think a visually clearer conception of the theme in the designs themselves, one that did not require further explanation, would not have satisfied our dear audience of Oxford students. If the “Metamorphosis” is clear immediately to the eye, it simply isn’t highbrow enough. I jest, but it is true that there is pleasure to be gained from having an idea explained to you that you never would’ve thought of yourself, as most who have attended a gruelling tutorial can likely attest to. Iggy emphasised that an important factor in deciding on the theme of “Metamorphosis” (as opposed to some of the committee’s other spitballs e.g. “Zeitgeist”) was the potential it had to be realised in a number of different ways, and she went on to extol the virtues of fashion as a means of individual self-expression. Though I would never presume to tell designers how to interpret a prompt, and recognise that student designers may not have the time nor the inclination to make a dress simply to please an audience, a window into their creative thought process would’ve been nice for mere mortal spectators like myself.
What I will say, however, was that the event was much improved by the affable presences of the designers post-runway. Whilst the event may not have been the Met Gala (despite a few guests falling victim to the dreaded boring-black-suit phenomenon), it is both rare and immensely valuable for any fashion enthusiast to speak directly to models and designers after a show. Indeed, this is how I was able to hear about Alex Lee’s moving tribute to a friend, and the quiet beauty of nature hikes that provoked the genesis of a shining gorse-yellow gown. It was this post-show connection between designers, guests, models and organisers that provided the OFG with its heart, leaving me with a warmth far from the superficiality that stereotypically permeates the fashion world. Ultimately, the Oxford Fashion Gala must be lauded for its commitment to glitz and glamour, and its dedication to giving the unrepresented fashion creatives of Oxford their flowers.