VS23 Launch: An Inside Look
“heaven on earth”
Streetwear is becoming more prevalent in our small town of St Andrews. Streetwear was an enigma turned into trend with the help of the VS Creatives group. I was lucky to meet the founder of VS who told me his reason for creating the society was to inspire people to become more comfortable in their everyday street style. The University of St Andrews is known for its fashion, and it is no surprise that Sagar wanted to celebrate our student’s individuality. Now he has left St. Andrews but described the launch as “seeing his kid go off the college and not seeing them for three months,” as he is so excited to witness the growing streetwear movement.
This year for the launch, the VS Creatives director, E, wanted to have a tribute to one of the most influential streetwear designers of our time, Virgil Abloh. E stated, “my whole idea for the year was to dedicate the show to Virgil Abloh as I am a huge fan of all his work,” and that “Virgil is a standout designer of our generation.” Following Abloh’s death, the VS group decided his achievements in music and fashion should be remembered. The committee affirmed that “the perfect way to pay homage” was for them to partner with the Virgil Abloh “Postmodern” Scholarship. However, the specific inspiration for this launch was the 2020 Louis Vuitton show that was very dreamy and ethereal. This direction was definitely accomplished as there were clouds floating through the VIC and blue lights shining, creating a “heaven on earth” overall vibe.
After hearing about the inspiration, I questioned the committee about what they were hoping to accomplish through their fashion shows and designs. In summary, every member hoped to inspire more students to break fashion boundaries and wear what makes them feel comfortable and confident. Speaking to the models corroborated this and they were ecstatic to tell me about their chosen outfits for the launch party walk. The first model I interviewed, Paula, was making a statement and showing off a controversial “cowboy look.” But that was not all, she was ready to show off her rare combinations: brown with blue, and denim on denim. When I asked her why she chose such a disputed outfit, she exclaimed she wanted more people to “step out from what is typical fashion.” The next model, Joshua shared that he had similar hopes for his “fit.” He was also strutting denim-on denim, but in a much more androgynous way. Underneath he wore a white button up shirt with a black tie. And over the denim, a black belt to “accentuate his waist and create a more female and male look,” hoping to make the statement that people can incorporate multiple genders and styles in their street style. To end our conversation Joshua stated, “I really just hope I see more of everyone being themselves,” an encouraging notion to those figuring out their personal styles.
“I just really hope I see more of everyone being themselves”
Joshua
Overall, the VS Creatives group were lovely and uplifting. All of the models were stoked to be able to wear their own choice outfits and flaunt their unique styles. And the committee was so excited to see their hard work finally put into action. Lia, the Director of Partnerships did an amazing job introducing me and showing me around. She loved talking about how all the models rewear clothes and exchange accessories to be sustainable, but everyone involved truly enjoys swapping items and helping. Although they could not quite disclose the details for the main VS Creatives fashion show, there are many things to be excited about. We will be seeing the incorporation of more accessories in street style, as they can change an outfit and be reworn many times. But, what I am most excited about is their lead designer this year. They are a Brooklyn-based designer who has experience in the designs of NFL jerseys. He will be sending VS a custom collection for their show. After knowing that, how can you not be excited for their next event. Thank you, VS Creatives, for your inspiration in St Andrews streetwear, I cannot wait to see what is next.