Senior Interhouse Fashion Show Delivers Haute Couture

Friday 13 March, 2015 brought out the creativity of our Senior School fashion designers and models as they each vied for a coveted footing to climb to the top of the House Championship ladder. However, this catwalk did not feature exquisite fabrics paraded in front of beady-eyed judges. Instead, each house was delivered a box with mystery items from which they could construct their designs. Each box contained material such as newspaper, cardboard, twine, plastic cups, bin bags and gunny sacks. As if it wasn’t enough of a challenge to turn these sows ears into silk purses, each element of the design, from the garments to the music used to walk down the runway had to have some sort of cultural or societal significance.

The Senior School, of course, rose to the challenge magnificently. The first to take the catwalk were the Hawks, who drew inspiration from the Mexican Dios de las Muertos (Day of the Dead). The respect shown for this Latin American holiday to commemorate the dead and support their spiritual journey was evident through the models’ pale make-up. The beautiful flamenco-style skirt, somehow crafted out of cones made of newspaper, and the wide-legged pants fashioned out of bin bags also paid tribute to the cultural dress of that part of the world.

Next, the Falcons swooped in with their design inspired by many different cultures. Their female model wore a contemporary dress with a wide sash made out of a bin bag, but her outfit also contained symbolism from other Indian and Western cultures. Their male model sported slightly more traditional garb, with an enormous turban that paid tribute to a wide range of religions around the globe. Their music, a catchy Bollywood number from the movie Rang de Basanti was a nod to the Holi celebrations taking place at the time.

The Eagles took a slightly different angle by choosing to highlight the courage of those battling cancer and the hope embodied by those who have survived it. The models also represented characters in a story, where a young woman with cancer fights the odds, and ends up falling in love with the doctor who treated her. The female model had a remarkably-crafted skirt made of newspaper, and a top that defied structural conventions made out of a bin bag. The male model was outfitted in scrubs made out of bin bags, and wore a lab coat that had once been a gunny sack. The elements of their tribute were in the details though, with everything from the jewelry to the medical accessories displaying the fight against cancer and their commitment to raise awareness about it.

Finally, the Ravens showcased fashion that was inspired by many different social issues today. The female model was the only one who wore trousers on the runway, but as her designer explained, the tear-away skirt she wore on top of it symbolized the breaking of gender norms while still retaining and embracing her femininity. Similarly, the male model displayed a more locally-influenced fashion choice, with his ‘reflector’ vest made out of a gunny sack representing the unique occupation of boda-boda drivers in Mombasa, and his magnificently-made dolphin headpiece symbolizing care and respect for the wildlife and their environments.

The level of creativity and social consciousness displayed by the students was incredible. As such, the judges faced some difficult decisions when it came to giving out scores. The Ravens came into fourth place, followed closely by the Falcons in third. The decision was so agonizing, however, that the Hawks and Eagles tied for first place! Congratulations to the two teams, it was a well-deserved win. In addition, well done to all the participants! We hope to see even more fashion-forward social commentary next year.