By: Angelina O’Connor

No one expected the start of New York Fashion Week to begin with a fashion show at Columbia University, yet that is precisely how it opened – right here on campus in Earl Hall. Fig Magazine, a new student-run fashion publication, made its striking debut with its inaugural show, “Memory of Light”. After building anticipation across the student body with recent posts on social media (@fig._magazine on Instagram), the magazine’s first large-scale event proved to be an undeniable success.  

The sold-out audience was treated to a night of multi-disciplinary artistic entertainment. The show opened with a live musical performance by an opera singer and band, as well as intermittent dance numbers which featured student dancers from across the university. The garments themselves were the designs of talented students of Parsons and the Fashion Institute of Technology. The models – also students – took the runway in support of their peers’ creative undertaking. And what a success it was! 

When my friend Nick asked if I could help as a show runner, I immediately said yes. With years of experience in the fashion industry, both as a model and fashion stylist, I know the ins and outs of a successful backstage environment. Working under the direction of Daniela Kroul, Nick Machayi, Camila Diaz, and Chantel Hope, I helped the designers and models alongside the other volunteers to organize the garments by the name of the model and the number of the look. These steps may seem benign, but are crucial for the clarity and efficiency of a cohesive show.

As I was working backstage, I noticed the intricacies of the designs made by the Parsons students. One dress in particular was eyecatching – the garment featuring black and light pink alternating pannels of leather which spanned the length of the dress, reminding me of Alice in Wonderland.. Another notable piece was a long sleeved floor length cream colored dress, stitched together with several horizontal and vertical slits between individual square panels of yarn. I learned later that the entire dress was hand crocheted by it’s designer! Alexandra Churchland, a fellow CUFS editorial writer, had one of her designs in the fashion show, her handmade electronic feathered wings making a pass down the runway. When I asked her what the experience was like, she replied: 

“I loved participating in the Fig show as a designer. It is rare to have opportunities to showcase designs at Columbia and Barnard, so I was glad at the chance. The fittings and rehearsals ran smoothly – the Fig team was full of PA’s and leaders and organizers. I especially loved meeting the designers from Parsons and FIT. It is rare for Columbia and Barnard to mix with these more artistic schools, but it was very inspiring and exciting to have such creative people on our campus. I hope that we continue to host artistic events with these schools, as I think it would improve and inspire our artistic and fashion community on campus.”

During the show, I helped maintain order in the dressing area, coordinated quick changes, and lined up models in precise sequences. Fashion shows operate with a million moving parts and pieces all at once, and their success depends on timing, communication, and trust among the team. Quick decision making and communication was the most integral part of the show running team, and the ability to make calls at a moment’s notice was respected by everyone with the understanding that we were working to create something much bigger than us. As Fig Magazine’s first runway production, the show carried a huge statement, and everyone involved rose to the occasion.

Fig’s message of  “sharing the fruits of fashion through culture” was made evident through every detail. The garments, choreography, music, hair and makeup, photography, and backstage coordination all came together to form a unified creative vision. Everyone there was a student driven by a love of fashion and the arts. Recognizing how the arts help to inform and shape the cultural spaces we navigate is especially significant to cultivating the creative communities of a college campus. The entire show was an impressive testament to the possibilities that fresh creativity, passion, and collaboration between skilled college students in all types of creative mediums holds for the future of fashion. Fig Magazine’s debut was a promising glimpse into the future of student-led fashion at Columbia.