SCAD’s annual Senior Fashion Show returned to the runway last year. Gone were the days of digital runways built together by pre-planned video and coding 0’s and 1’s—save for, of course, the virtual streaming that allowed everyone to view the show live in tandem with the guests on ground. Return to the Runaway set a precedent, and the thing about revivals, returns, and renaissances is that expectations always rise. Last year gave us a spectacle, so it’s only natural to expect a performance.
While Atlanta held onto its regional aesthetic, that difference being an urban terrain vs Savannah’s historic, it was painfully obvious where SCAD left its signature touch: stone gray architecture and artwork running up and down the interiors of residence halls. We were met with the finished detailing of a construction project in preparation for one of the biggest events of the quarter. The courtyard-turned-runway was nestled between the dorms, parking garage, and cafe.
The space was too organic and rounded around the edges to call it anything except triangle adjacent, but having seen the drone’s perspective of our seating arrangement and blue light choreography, it was obvious why it was the optimal vantage point. Still, I could empathize with any students who wanted to retire to bed early that night. The DJ certainly had other plans.
The show hadn’t started yet, but the fashion was already setting the mood of couture alongside the rising anticipation from the crowd. Fashion designers were wearing pieces from their collections. Students peered on from their dorm windows overlooking the courtyard. Professors danced around the grass center and egged each other on while they collected student accessories and name tags to adorn their own outfits with. The energy swelled and burst the moment flashing lights cascaded up and down the building, blinding us for a second and turning our attention to the big screen.
As it does every year, the show started with a video, a concept, and most importantly, a mood. In The Manor’s coverage, FANTASIA, we saw clothing’s ability to tell a story. SCAD’s fashion film ventured into another novelty: clothing’s ability to take us to another dimension. It was a journey where fashion and movement fought for our attention, only for both elements to come out victorious. We were immediately overwhelmed by imagery with the sole purpose of taking us out of this world. To shatter our expectations and leave us strategically breathless in time for Coco Rocha to open the show all punked out in leather, chunky boots and dramatic smokey eye.
We were off to a metallic start. Reflective garments have a particular shine under blue lights that give them an otherworldly effect. The runway transformed from sleek finishes that hugged models’ bodies to bulbous silhouettes of organic shaping and matter. I found myself immersed in space age inspired design that complimented the moon. An entire look consisting of glossy dice turned heads for the brightness of its red coloring. Long sleeves flowed in the wind and kissed the pavement.
There were some detailing that touched across many different designs, such as fringes and trains and a wolf tail that I definitely took a double take on. One collection reminded me of a homecoming mum. Spirals of hair styled as twin drills bounced up and down with each step. Gorgeous print and patterns shifted depending on the angle. References to culture made their way down the runway; the gears and handle of a motorcycle protruding from a model’s chest, a corset made of traditional football gear, lace and pageant frills, and hints of cosmetic surgery.
I underestimated how much of a story there is to tell just from the fashion moves. The garments did not speak alone either. Each model conveyed an intimate connection with the piece they wore through the choice of performing the mood. Not one look matched another, and that all came down to the walk and facial expression adopted to match the design narrative. A testament to Coco’s mentoring, I suppose.
It was surreal to be able to watch how each look appeared right before my eyes. I could hear material shifting and the sound of that glittered chime that jewelry makes. The transition of one collection to the next was a transportation device in its own right. A journey through time within the future and the past, from space age to denim constructed to reimagine and out-perform whatever limitations and innovation people expect. The future of fashion is certainly taking us to dimensions we haven’t seen in the same light before.
Words by Bri Shufford.
Graphic by Reem Hinedi.