Living Fashion with Concrete Catwalk

The St Andrews fashion scene boasts an impressive ecosystem of shows, the one-upmanship and exclusivity of which seems to outdo itself every season. I heard that Concrete Catwalk, a fashion collective that hosts both events and a blog, were presenting an intimate show at the St Andrews Heritage Museum, entitled ‘Material Moods.’ Described on their website as “an ode to the cobbled streets, green grass fields and windswept beaches we call home,” the show seemed a step apart from the (dare I say) performative exclusivity offered elsewhere in the social calendar. For £10 a pop, it went straight into my calendar for 8pm on 27 March.

I was inclined to expect something more rudimentary, but perhaps more authentic, from ‘Material Moods,’ based on its affordable price and small scale. I relaxed into the idea that I was not dealing with the same beast and that, with its scale being almost incomparable to FS or DONT WALK, for example, it would be inappropriate to compare Concrete Catwalk with larger, more exclusive events. 

Complimentary fizz in hand, the mingling commenced. I wondered when the show would start after an hour of anticipation had gone by. While the wait was rather long, we were impressed and entertained by the Szentek DJ in the meantime, who put our conversations to music. 

The show began. With seven models and one outfit change, attention was directed towards a select few outfits, each one deserving of its place. The theme was ‘Material Moods,’ and thus the styles represented the materials of our local environment in St Andrews: stone, sand, cement, and water. 

The website expands on this idea, tying it back to the fashion collective’s name: “‘Concrete’ is defined as a mixture of stone, sand, cement and water, yet also speaks to what is authentic and unmistakably real, grounded in the world we inhabit.” It was an intriguing concept.

I was pleased to see familiar faces in the crowd, many of whom had come to support the models and organisers, but mainly to enjoy the creative output of the stylists. People were audibly enjoying themselves, reacting to the models’ individual quirks and gestures. Any minor mistake was endearing, inciting support and encouragement from the crowd. 

Co-Creative Director Diana Seo gave me insight into the styling process: “All of the outfits we’ve created and styled are from the wardrobes of the students, which shows our identity as an affordable creative platform.” Some items of clothing were recognisable to models’ friends in the crowd, which offered the evening a personal touch. 

After the show, I asked the committee what Concrete Catwalk means to them.

“It’s a showcase of ourselves on the catwalk. It’s in our name; it’s about the materials and about real fashion and about what people wear around town,” explained the Editor-in-Chief of Concrete Catwalk’s blog, Francesca Finistrella. 

Charlotte El Hage, Head of Photography and Co- Creative Director, also contributed her thoughts: “We’re a very low-budget society. We’re trying to make this type of fashion accessible. Since we rely [a lot] on borrowing and favours, we really pride ourselves on having a good community and good relationships with people, because that’s what St Andrews is: a community.” 

I felt I had glimpsed a different side of St Andrews’ fashion scene, one that prided itself on both its creativity and accessibility, proving that it is possible to exist authentically with a small budget without losing its edge. Concrete Catwalk gave the story of St Andrews street style back to the people who live it, giving us a night to remember in the process. 

Photo: Charlotte El Hage