TWSS’ Saskia Kirkegaard takes us to the annual Trashion show, reviewing this years theme of ‘deconstruct’.

Those in the know will be aware that the Fashion Forward Society held another of their seasonal ‘trashion’ shows on Wednesday night in the crypt of the Mount Without. This time the theme was ‘deconstruct’, and not only did this apply to the expertly modelled pieces, but also to my expectations, which were already very high based on my experience of ‘metamorphosis’ in February. The crypt was decked out in warm orange lighting as the fashionable crowd descended on it. The vibes were reflected perfectly by the funky @badbitchdubz, a female/non-binary DJ collective who welcomed us into the cosy chamber with friendly jungle and DnB. My friends and I had a boogie and grabbed a drink, then took our seats. 

I immediately began a chat with the lovely girl to my right, who told me how welcoming and inclusive she felt the show to be so far – even the busy makeup artist had made time to offer her some tips when she asked for them. This aura continued throughout the show, and the entire event felt like it was deconstructing (geddit?) the often exclusionary atmosphere that fashion can hold itself up to be. Everyone was welcome, including two young girls who came to the show with their mother – they were sat in the front row, and I cannot describe how ecstatic the glee was on their faces as the show began, which seemed to increase as every look came out. As an introduction to the world of runway, the Trashion show is probably the best possible place to be – a safe, inclusive, queer, dramatic and silly environment that reminded me how fun fashion can be – perfect for one’s first outing into this world. It made me so excited to know that these girls will now be viewing fashion from this lens too.

The show began with a speech from Daisy Tod, the president of the society, who thanked us all for coming and supporting Bristol Hub, the charity the show was in aid of. Bristol Hub connects students to volunteering opportunities to create action for social and environmental change – another element of the focus on deconstruction. Daisy informed us that the show was brought to us by “kindness, inclusivity, and compassion”, and this was clear throughout the event. I spoke to Daisy further about the theme of deconstruction, and she told me that “we chose the theme as it is so open to interpretation”, which for her meant that the designers could “deconstruct the world around them through the lens of sustainable fashion”. The runway began, and each look appeared to top the last, each using inventive and magical methods of utilising second-hand materials. Several looks stood out including Amelie Peters’ wonderful Marie Antoinette-esque dress, Pascha Al-Quassab’s cage skirt, Quincy Mulrain’s shaggy half-destroyed suit, and a massive marshmallow dress by Alice Wilkinson. The final piece really took the cake, though – a wedding dress that had been ripped apart to reveal the metal boning that created the voluminous skirt, an absolute triumph. I will be looking out for Junayd Malick at fashion weeks in the future! 

The majority of the looks used and reappropriated traditionally feminine features – bows, ribbons, ruffles, pearls, and even a bonnet, making the theme of deconstruction take on another meaning – not only were the clothes being deconstructed, but so were the gender roles that are often tied into fashion. This was also clear through the use of drag queens as some of the models, who brought another layer of deconstruction through queerness to the show. The final walk brought out the designers too, who strutted their stuff in matching outfits beside their models, reminding us how much collaborative work has gone on behind the scenes. The models and designers all flooded the catwalk and had a big boogie, bringing them down to our level – the audience was as much a part of the show as those who made it, and the lack of a stage helped to permeate this feeling. 

I asked some audience members what they thought of the show and was met with rapturous admiration – Lucy told me that the show had “inspired her to make something” and brought her back to her experiences of textiles at GCSE. She felt that the fact that many of the pieces had bridal elements added another layer of deconstruction of femininity, and loved the corset boning which made it feel like she had “x-ray vision”. I also got to talk to Ollie Dixon, the model of Daisy’s masterful jacket, made entirely of crocheted plastic taken from old mattress bags. He felt that the look was “questioning the idea of femininity” and that it brought together elements of “femininity and masculinity at the same time”. 

As Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ aptly sounded from the speakers, chairs and floor lights were taken away, some of the models got changed, smokers went outside, and everyone got another drink from the bar. It was time for the next part of the show – a gig from UoB’s own indie rock band, The LilyPetals. Frontman Calum Thorne sent shivers of excitement into the crowd as everyone jumped about to their single, ‘Currently Unavailable’ (which is currently available to stream on Spotify!) Calum told me he feels that “music and fashion often go hand in hand as a form of expression”, and the crowd certainly agreed. The band were also dressed by the designers, adding to the event’s sense of shared community. It was the perfect release of energy at the end of the show, especially for the hardworking models, designers, and organisers. 

I was thrilled to attend the trashion show again, and I look forward to many more over the course of the next year (and hopefully beyond – I’d come and visit Bris just for this, frankly!) Daisy told me she felt that the event was “full of openness, inclusivity and love”, and I hope this review confirms those feelings, shared by everyone in attendance. 

A big thank you to everyone involved in the show this season, and if you missed it this time, look out for new things coming soon! TWSS also has access to discounted tickets for ‘Seduce’, the Croft x Utopia mag event on the 5th December. Use this link and the code ‘TWSS’ to join in the fun!