Semester Abroad, Global Correspondents Project Runway

Gabrielle, one of the Semester Abroad Global Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

Before studying abroad at St. Andrews, my favorite fashion show each semester would happen
while eating lunch outside the Arch building and watching stylish people walk down Locust Walk. I am grateful that while studying abroad at St. Andrews, I was able to attend a unique student-produced fashion show. There are a few student-run groups on campus, each associated with a charity organization to which they donate their proceeds.

I posted a slide compilation on @pennabroad ‘s Instagram feed from this fashion show I attended in February. These charity fashion shows involve a significant amount of time, effort, and creativity to be produced. My favorite look from the show was a mid-length glimmering dress, made special by the mirrored geometric shapes all over. I sat down with the executive director of one of the shows, who offered some insights about just how many layers are involved in creating these events.

Lucas, a third-year student and Executive Director of one of the shows, shared, “It is amazing to see the impact that fashion can have. We have almost 80 committee members—including models—and have raised almost £400,000 for our various charitable partners since 2001. There are five sub-committees that exist within the organization: the Executive Team, Communications Team, Events Team, Finance & Sponsorship Team, and Creative Team. Positions range from Head of Logistics to Creative Director’s Assistant, with many moving parts throughout the year that culminate in our annual show in March.” The web of people involved in the organization extends far beyond St. Andrews, as this particular fashion show features both a number of student designers’ pieces in addition to works from well-known international brands such as Vivienne Westwood, Eres, and La Perla.

I was impressed by the frequent and varied student collaboration at St. Andrews. Despite the town being notoriously cloudy and often rainy, many of the students work together to bring vibrancy and figurative sunshine. Though I can’t promise I will be looking to execute a fashion show at this scale at Penn, I was inspired by this coming together of student creativity and entrepreneurship for a few nights during the year to create an impactful experience.