Words and Photography by Mistral Zerbi

Daedalus, in Greek mythology, was no ordinary craftsman. He was the architect of illusions, a creator of worlds, a man whose genius carved pathways through the impossible. From the Labyrinth for King Minos of Crete that imprisoned the Minotaur, to the wings that he and his son Icarus used to escape Crete, he stands as a symbol of skill, wisdom, and rebellion.

This year, the myth of Daedalus was embodied by fashion. DONT WALK 2025 took his name as its title. It fit. Because behind the scenes, a modern architect was at work: Cecilia Nuvola Bechini, the show’s Creative Director, who, much like Daedalus, built more than spectacle — she built a story. Back in November, when I first spoke with Cecilia, she quoted Freud: “Myths are the secular dreams of youthful humanity.” That line stayed with me, and now, months later, it felt like prophecy.

DONT WALK this year was a choreography of transformation — myth set in motion, narrative stitched into fabric, character traced in silhouette. One could feel it in the momentum of the night: each act unfolding with theatrical intention, each model entering not merely as a wearer of clothes, but as embodying a character.

The references were all mythological — the fierce solitude of the Amazons, the haunting grief of Orpheus, the desire of Eros (appropriately marking the lingerie segment), and the fire-thief Prometheus. And, of course, Daedalus himself — the builder and the dreamer.

Emerging from the darkness into sharp spotlights, models moved like they were walking the line between myth and reality. Under the theatre of shifting lights, their gestures were fluid, an aesthetic language of poise and defiance.

Most fabrics whispered around them like ocean waves — sheer, structured, cascading. Glittering dresses caught the light; others clung to the body like armour. Together, they told stories of beauty and power — stories of who we are when we are most exposed, and still choose to step forward. The charities affiliated with this year's show, Doctors Without Borders and Peaceful Tomorrows, underline a narrative based on hope and family. In a world where runways often replicate, DONT WALK, as always, adds a rebellious and defiant aspect to the St Andrews fashion scene.

But there was a softness, too. A vulnerability wrapped in satin, sequins, and soft lights. Models performed, danced and posed like nymphs would. The runway pulsed with presence.

And perhaps most significantly, Cecilia’s vision is already taking flight beyond St Andrews. Featured in La Repubblica, she is, in many ways, crafting her own wings — not wax-bound, but forged through vision and integrity. Like Daedalus, she builds to escape boundaries and to reshape them. With a show like Deadalius, we can only hope for our fellow students to fly far in the world of fashion.

Daedalus: DONT WALK 2025