This past spring, students from Queen’s University took to the catwalk for the 27th annual Vogue Charity Fashion Show (VCFS) over three days at Kingston’s Grand Theatre, raising $70,000 for Extend-a-Family Kingston, an organization that supports people with disabilities and their families to connect with their communities.
According to Katarina Bojic, the co-president of VCFS for 2023-24, it takes a lot of hands to put together Canada’s largest student fashion show. The more than 180 students involved in the event both on the stage and behind the scenes came from across faculties.
Indeed, as an English major, Ms. Bojic acknowledged that a fashion show wasn’t exactly the obvious choice for an extracurricular project, but she wasn’t alone in pushing disciplinary boundaries. “My co-president was in health science,” she explained. “The year before us there was a biochemistry major, and someone else before that was in commerce, so really, the job is flexible and lends its strengths to so many different programs.”
Each year, show planning begins by picking a theme. This year’s was “Days of Being,” which took audiences through the stages of life, from the innocence of early childhood with “Nightlight” to the enduring legacy of “Long Live.” Each “scene” involved not just models, but also dancers and live musicians. “It’s really more of an art experience,” explained Ms. Bojic. “That’s something that’s really cool about it, because it showcases dance and music in addition to design.”
In recent years, VCFS – the largest student-run club at Queen’s – has focused on greater inclusion and representation by welcoming a range of different body types onto the catwalk. That commitment is now woven into every aspect of the show, starting with the hiring process. As an example, Ms. Bojic pointed to the scene that once focussed on men’s wear, which is now open to anyone across the gender spectrum who identifies with masculinity.
“We want to make the show feel as authentic as possible, and representative of everybody, not just Queen’s students, but the entire Kingston community that’s coming out to support the show,” said Ms. Bojic. “When you hire people who care about these values, it shows in the actual work.”
A selection of aspiring fashion designers were awarded between $100 and $200 to create their unique runway looks. All clothes were sewn from scratch by students in consultation with the show’s creative directors. “A lot of them just enjoy sewing in their spare time,” said Ms. Bojic.
As well as raising money, VCFS members attended the organisation’s monthly tea parties and gave workshops in dance and modelling. Volunteering with VCFS is a great way to “get outside of the Queen’s bubble,” Ms. Bojic said.
A unique club experience
Ms. Bojic’s favourite event of the show is the lingerie scene, which has come to encompass any clothing you’d consider sleepwear and is open to anyone involved in the show, from stage crew to hair and make-up. “That scene gets the loudest cheers,” she said. “You can’t hear the music when you’re performing that scene because everybody in the crowd is cheering so loud.”
It’s easy to get caught up in academics, but to students like Ms. Bojic, the club experience is just as important a part of university life. Not only do they get valuable work experience, but they can connect with a vast network of alumni with similar interests. Indeed, now entering her fifth year, Ms. Bojic credits her time at VCFS with helping to secure her current position as director of communications at Queens’ Alma Mater Society.
Choosing to join a club like VCFS can be an intimidating process, Ms. Bojic admits, but she absolutely recommends it. “If there’s something that you’re passionate about, there’s room for you,” she said. “That applies to all sorts of clubs. If there’s something interesting to you, you can find a place to do it, and it will make your experience awesome.”