DONT WALK 2020 PREVIEW
nterview by Daryna Tsioupine, Edited by Alexandra Kenyon
Photography by Lightbox
The UK’s largest privately-run student fashion show reaches back to its urgent-issue roots, and looks toward “another world”.
On the 27th of August DONT WALK announced one of their two charities early, due to the sudden international attention captured by the Amazon forest fires. DW20 will be raising money for The Rainforest Alliance and seeks to raise awareness for the environmental challenges that we face as a species. The charity is partially based in New York and, as DONT WALK was founded in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, this association is significant to those involved with the show.
Last week I met with DONT WALK Director Alice Lavie to discuss, as much as was allowed, the vision for the nineteenth iteration of the show which is so shrouded in mystery. She told me that, more than in past years, DW20 will address the Global Issue of the Moment. The creative concept is “the exploration of the hyper material world and its conflict against nature.” Furthermore, part of their mission statement is to look at structural inequalities, meaning that the social impacts of environmental threats are also considered. The creative concept manifests in both the charitable and artistic aspects of DONT WALK. Threats to our planet will be highlighted in many forms, through the fashion and other sensory aspects of the show.
You may be wondering how the promotion of sustainability and mitigation of environmental degradation would affect the logistics of such a large and potentially waste-heavy event… We have all heard about the dangers of fast fashion and consumer culture. How will DONT WALK attempt to address these problems on their level? One of the committee’s goals is sourcing sustainable fashion. Furthermore, the committee jackets, which Lavie herself was wearing, are all vintage or repurposed jackets that have been individually customised by committee members, Kameron Cooper and Sebastian Yager. Rest assured that the committee will be considering the details of every aspect of the show, down to cups and straws, in order to emphasize the ease of small changes that can benefit our earth. Don’t worry though - there will still be goodie bags with exciting treats! They will simply focus on more sustainable products.
In terms of the actual clothing on the walk, we are promised earthy tones with a loyalty to the dark DONT WALK aesthetic in addition to some light colour experimentation. The show that has previously featured designers as huge as Vivienne Westwood, also seeks to work with student and emerging designers - the sort that can be found at London’s Graduate Fashion Week. DONT WALK seeks to provide a platform on which these designers might kick-start their careers. Lavie also suggested that some of their own committee members may be contributing to the fashion on their catwalk.
Despite the heavy ethical themes, Lavie promises a playful, interactive and fun night that will stand out from previous DONT WALK events, and other events in St Andrews. So, let the suspense build and prepare for many surprises in February 2020, because “it’s never just a fashion show.”
The launch of DW20 will take place on the 7th of November at this year’s secret location, somewhere you’ve never been before.
You can also look forward to DONT WALK’s VIC Nights, and the release of concept shoots that are currently in the works.