Their story, in their words…
As part of my Mark Evison Award, I organised a couture fashion show inspired by the historic Silk Road. Between November and October, I designed and made 12 outfits, rounded up models and booked my school’s Memorial Chapel, perfect for the dramatic atmosphere I wanted. What began as a personal project quickly snowballed into a school-wide event, with us ultimately selling 250 tickets and raising over £500 for the Mark Evison Foundation. It was far more successful than I had envisaged, and I am incredibly grateful to all the staff who supported me, especially Ms Plowright, who was there throughout.
The feat was undeniably challenging. Numerous internal processes, barriers and bureaucratic hurdles pushed the event back, leaving much of the preparation until the final few weeks. Juggling this alongside university applications and exams was difficult. The night itself was particularly stressful: two models were suddenly sick and had to be replaced, while there was also a hairy moment with the music. I was on edge backstage, but we all soldiered through it. My speech at the end was completely impromptu, and delivering it made me realise that even I had not fully come to terms with what we had achieved.
The project gave me a real sense of adulthood, which felt particularly fitting as I had just turned 18. Most importantly, it taught me what it takes to turn an idea into something tangible. I became more confident in leading a large project, working with others and making decisions under pressure. Seeing something that had existed only as sketches become a finished collection on stage, in front of a packed audience, was the most rewarding part of the experience.
Once again, a massive thank you to everyone who helped make it happen.
