The Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show – an interview with the Vice-President

Cambridge’s Charity Fashion Show, founded in 2014, showcases and celebrates the city’s up-and-coming designers, whilst supporting charities who make positive change in the Cambridge community. The 2024 iteration welcomed 400 attendees to the Cambridge Union, exhibiting the clothes of 25 designers and raising over £4,700 for local charities. With this year’s fundraising set to overtake that figure, already clocking in at over £3,600, I sat down with the show’s Vice President Maddie Wills to find out why this year’s show has been such a roaring success.

Tell me about your personal experience taking part in the fashion show.

This is my second year on the executive committee, having been Head of Publicity last year, in my second year of study. I got involved after seeing an Instagram post, without any experience whatsoever. I have always been interested in fashion, and I have an Art GCSE, but no experience organising any kind of fashion show. I thought “I’m quite good at social media” and applied on a whim. I am an organisationally minded person, and I think that came across in the application process. CUCFS hires committee members based on a demonstration of a creative mind, and some ability to manage a team, and it is helpful if you can do both!

What drew you to apply?

For me, CUCFS is an excellent combination of raising money for meaningful charities, exhibiting amazing clothes, and building experience in event planning. I’ve found that there are not a lot of avenues to get involved in something creative at Cambridge, especially something which works with students outside of the university, and graduate designers.

Why are these events important for charities?

We pride ourselves on CUCFS being an event which people want to come to, irrespective of its charity connection; people buy tickets under their own volition, rather than the charitable good of their hearts, which is good. We keep really good links with our charities, meeting with them weekly to discuss their involvement, and inviting them to attend the event, promoting collaboration. The main charity we are working with this year is Refuge, which supports women and children experiencing domestic abuse across the UK and operates services in the Cambridge area. The impact on our charity partners goes well beyond just fundraising; last year, I volunteered in North Stowe, running a workshop encouraging children to be creative in nature. It is this kind of collaborative, community feeling that makes people want to get involved across Cambridge.

How does running a charity fashion show differ from organising a commercial one?

Logistically, of course it means we are more constrained in terms of our budget, and rely on goodwill, volunteers, designers willing to be involved without the promise of pay, giving their clothes for free. On the ground, I believe the charity nature of the event means that people are less worried about trivial details, like what to wear on the night, and more worried about the bigger picture, which is ultimately doing something really good for the Cambridge community.

How many people are involved in the planning process, and when does preparation start?

There are four people involved as early as April, but I know our president, Paige, started even earlier. In early May, we tie up whatever is left hanging over from last year, decide on the new theme and organise the budget. We start thinking about the designers we might want for the theme, before passing off that responsibility to the Fashion Director over the summer. Around early July, we appoint the executive committee, from publicity and creatives to fashion and photographers. Sub-committees are elected in early September, meaning that around 60 people are involved before the models are hired.

What are the major setbacks you have faced in the organising process, and how have you managed to overcome them?

The biggest problem we can have is a designer dropping out, usually due to personal reasons. The whole team pulls together and everyone becomes really resourceful. Usually, we will turn towards students in a time of need, and I remember last year, when a student made clothes in three weeks to replace a designer who pulled out at short notice. I really admire people who can juggle university work and other commitments so effectively, taking on new tasks at such short notice.

This is one area where being based in Cambridge is utterly invaluable for us. We are blessed to have the Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts (CSVPA), who we work with very closely, supporting them with meetings, finding them models for their exhibitions and the like. Lots of our designers come from their graduate ranks, and working with them has been amazing; it has unlocked an element of Cambridge that I did not know was there, outside of the tiny student bubble.

What do people underestimate about being involved in an executive role, and how do you juggle your commitments?

There is obviously a lot of work which goes on behind the scenes, mostly mundane admin to make the event run smoothly. I am not sure we always look like a swan above the surface, but the feet are definitely paddling under the water! In the term of the show, I help out around five hours a week in person, at shoots and rehearsals, doing around ten hours of admin, from clothes allocations to simple emails. It doesn’t affect my degree. There is an obvious impact in show week, but I suppose that’s no different to having a BUCS match on a Wednesday or being in an ADC production. Having some ‘unskippable’ deadlines, like presentations or supervisions, almost makes the whole experience more exciting!

What other opportunities have arisen from being involved with CUCFS?

The fashion show has given me amazing links to the wider Cambridge creative community. I have met designers, talked with them about their careers and other career options in fashion. In February, we hosted a panel event at the Union with five guest speakers, three of which were founders of fashion labels. Lots of people from CSVPA also came along, to talk about issues linked to the creative arts, from AI to sustainability and creative ownership. Outside of that, we arranged a group trip to the V&A to see the Marie Antoinette exhibition, and we have hosted the global CEO of Victoria’s Secret for a speaker’s event. The avenues which future committees could explore are endless, and I am really excited to see what next year’s team come up with.

Who are your audience?

The people who come to watch the fashion show are a truly diverse mix. The designers often come, and bring supporters with them, and many of the models bring friends and family, which is always really nice to see. People come to support their friends on committee as well. People really care for, and foster, the creative scene in Cambridge, so we see a lot of support from outside of the University. We believe that sub-committee members deserve a chance to see the show, so they have the option to be in the audience for a half-price ticket. I am looking forward to seeing the mix of people who come along this year, to support friends, family, and creativity as an art!

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for a role in next year’s CUCFS?

As I said earlier, I had no relevant experience at all, so do not let that hold you back. You should apply on the basis of interests, not experiences. About 80% of our senior committee are graduating this year, so new energy is definitely welcome, as ever, on next year’s team. There are so many ways to get involved with low commitment; I know that the sponsorship team fire off emails, sat together over a coffee! There are so many ways to be involved at all sorts of levels, and there isn’t even any pressure to be there on the night! For the bigger jobs, some experience in graphic design, event logistics or planning can go a long way, but these are often transferable qualities which do not depend on exact prior experience. Above anything else, we look for commitment, and people who are willing to invest their time for passionate and honest reasons.

CUCFS is raising money to support Refuge, a charity supporting thousands of women and children experiencing domestic and sexual violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, stalking, trafficking, prostitution and so-called ‘honour’ based violence. Please consider donating, if you can, via the link below.
https://www.justgiving.com/team/cucfsmodels2526