Opening the Door to the Dream House: VS Launch Review 2022

Words by Taryn Patterson

One wouldn’t expect the evening of Thanksgiving to be spent watching a bunch of models flawlessly strut around the Vic after spending the majority of the day eating and celebrating the holiday, and yet that is exactly what my friends and I did.

The VS23 launch party at the Vic was not a night to miss. With stunning models, beautiful clothes, and crowd-pleasing music, the evening truly was a dream. It’s always nerve-wracking to hear that an event will be held at the Vic; you just never know whether it will be full of people with music you can actually dance to or if it will be pretty barren with no one on the dancefloor. Thankfully, the VS launch had the Vic completely packed and none of the DJs disappointed: everyone was dancing and celebrating the successful evening all the way until the wee hours of the morning.

The launch started with all of the audience crowded into the main room of the Vic, standing around a makeshift stage that was cautioned off with LED lights and faux clouds. Everything was blue, from the lighting to the audience’s clothes, giving an atmosphere that felt as though you truly were in a dream. The crowd was buzzing as we waited for the show to start and suddenly, with a pause in the music and a change of the lights, four dancers emerged from the crowd and began performing. It was clear that everyone in the audience was surprised by these dancers as we all thought they were there to just enjoy the show like the rest of us. It was a perfect opening to what would become an incredibly immersive show.

After the dance performance, the real show began, with models emerging as if through literal clouds.

VS is a streetwear fashion show with this year’s theme being “WELCOME TO DREAM HOUSE”. In a refreshing manner, the launch party was not used to show the clothes made by the designers, which will be seen in their fashion show later this year. Instead, the models were wearing their own clothes that coincided with the theme, almost everything being different shades of blue, black, and white. This experience allowed the audience to get a peek into the personal styles of each of the models and allowed the models to prove their understanding of fashion and show off their individual personalities.

The setup of the runway was a perfect way to immerse the crowd into the show. As we were all dressed in our own blue outfits and takes on streetwear, and with the stage being ground-level, which brought us even closer to the models, it truly felt as though we were a part of the show by simply watching it. My only complaint is that there was such little space for the audience to stand, and, if you weren’t in the front row, it was nearly impossible to get a good look at the show and the models. So, most of us were forced to watch the show through the heads of those in front of us. Despite this, each of the models demanded attention on their walks and it was hard to look away.

The finale of the show saw all of the models come back onto the runway together, pausing at each corner and giving the audience an up-close view of each of their final fits. The models were standing directly in front of us and their ability to remain straight-faced while being so closely watched and talked to by the audience showed their talent and professionalism.

Directly after the launch, the team dropped this year’s Launch Video, “WELCOME TO DREAM HOUSE” which is now available for viewing on the VS social media platforms. The video shows the models in all-white outfits in various locations throughout St. Andrews. With enchanting music, a creative blur, and slight slow motion, the video truly makes you feel as though you are in a dream.

The night ended with an afterparty that completely filled the main room of the Vic. The DJs, some of whom were VS models and a part of the VS Creative Team, kept the crowd dancing until we had to leave the venue. All in all, the VS team could not have done a better job at launching their show. With such a successful and enjoyable evening, I can not wait to see what they have in store for their full show.