FS: Fabulous at 30
Words by Lili Jones, Writer. Images courtesy of FS.
Bearing a closer resemblance to something from a Fashion Week than a student run organisation, FS Encompassing Environments was the perfect return to form: sleek, elegant and electric.
30 years after its inception, FS has continued to dominate the fashion scene at St Andrews. When an organisation does well, there is a tendency to diminish its achievements and assume it will always be a success due to its name. Saturday night silenced these claims, highlighting the reason FS is as successful as it is: the talent of those involved.
Paying homage to its Scottish birthright, Encompassing Environments celebrated the dynamism of Scotland: its natural landscapes and its urban grit. The live projection of the runway onto the screen during the show wrapped the audience into the mind of the creative director. The effect of surrounding the audience in the show elevated the atmosphere of the crowd and created the organisation's own ‘encompassing environment.’
The opening walk, counted in by the year’s accumulated media, set the tone of being explosive. The second half featured more dynamic choreography, and the lingerie set was sensuous and powerful. But, what stood out most was the confidence of the models: their energy was magnetic and charged the room with each walk being flawless in equal parts attitude and competency.
As for the fashion itself, featuring a range of designers from Carrhart to St Andrews graduate Noémie Jouas, there was something for everyone's taste. One of my personal favourites was the collection of adapted suits by Leila, which introduced an air of innovation to the runway, embodying the FS sustainability philosophy of buying purposefully and dressing with intent: re-imaging what is possible with a little creativity.
The FS focus on sustainability has been echoed through various events all year, but the attention to detail within the event itself, such as the use of paper cups over plastic, shows that these are not just empty words but that FS is actively making sustainable choices in its creation.
I can honestly admit that I spent too much of the after party dancing to sample the food trucks outside, but from what I hear the tacos in particular were not to miss, although that didn’t stop the late night queues at Shawarma House spilling into the early hours of the morning.
Having been to most of the shows this year, I was sceptical as to how FS could set itself apart and make its stamp on such a successful fashion year at St Andrews. I forgot that FS is a force that refuses to rest on its laurels: pushing forwards in both sustainability and creativity, and Saturday's show was no exception.
