When we walked into the venue for the Fall 2024 Circle of Fashion (COF) show, we were taken aback by the grandeur. On Friday, November 1, the club hosted their fourth semi-annual fashion show in the lobby of the Montreal Biodome. Show attendees were greeted with swanky house music, a luxe atmosphere, and dramatic lighting. The dress code was decidedly black and elegant, with most attendees donning knee-high boots, sleek silhouettes, and off-the-shoulder tops. Everything about the venue oozed sophistication. As muted chatter began to fill the space, we eagerly watched fellow fashion enthusiasts settling in before the show.
The models emerged one by one from a cavern of white walls with floor lights, illuminating them from underneath. The designs floated down the runway as the models waltzed into a crowd of friends, families, and fellow fashion-loving students.
Circle of Fashion is a club at McGill that centres around all things fashion, focusing on encouraging students’ fashion interests and creating a community around those interested in self expression through clothing. COF’s guiding mission is to be a space “where students can express their fashion creativity.” The club was founded in 2022 by Manon Ashida and has seen exponential growth in the last two years. COF now has an expansive executive team, a podcast, and events every semester including clothing swaps and pop-up markets. Additionally, COF publishes a print magazine, Pamplemousse, every semester, along with regular additions to their online blog.
COF also puts on a biannual fashion show. No two are alike, with each show featuring different locations and designers. Last year’s fall fashion show took place at Montreal’s Olympic swimming pool, while the Winter 2024 show was presented in a gorgeous, gothic church, Chapelle Notre Dame de Bon Secours, located in Old Montreal. The show on November 1 had an air of professionalism and shared vision that permeated the evening. Their dedication to the production value and to creating an all-encompassing, intentional experience made it all the more enjoyable to watch. There is something special about a group of students not only conceptualizing, but actualizing an evening where designers, students, and fashion enthusiasts alike can come together and celebrate storytelling through fashion.
The materials and silhouettes were the stars of the show. Crocheted knits, buttons, silks, and flowing chiffon jumped off the runway. Viewers couldn’t help but appreciate the intricate skills and craftsmanship these students and artists poured into their creations. Floral motifs and micro-mini styles dominated the evening. Each collection had its own unique flavour, reflecting the personal style of the designers. Whether it was through colour palettes, styling, or the persona they wanted their models to embody, each artist conveyed their distinct and powerful visions.
The thread connecting all the showcased collections is the showrunners’ obvious passion for creating and designing. The show concluded with a collection that directly reflected the ambiance of the sophisticated setting. Francis Hoang’s collection was filled with three stunning all-white looks that seemed to glide down the runway. In an Instagram post about his vision, Hoang said that he wanted his designs to have a certain “flowiness,” emulating “air, leaves falling, water […] something that moves elegantly.”
This evening wasn’t just about the clothing, it was also about the storytelling, theatricality, and performance that comes with putting on a runway show. Some models didn’t just walk through the space – they played a character. Their approach called to mind models like Leon Dame who walk with a certain persona in mind.
On behalf of The McGill Daily, we spoke with model Max Freedman and designer Olivia Dunkley to get a full picture of what the COF show was like from behind the scenes.
Freedman, first-time model but long-time lover of fashion, was one of the first models to walk. “It was a little nerve-wracking as I have never done anything like that before,” Freedman noted. Despite these nerves, when asked to summarize the experience in three words, Freedman described it as “exciting, collaborative, and new.” Amidst a post-midterm frenzy, the show was a welcome creative outlet for Freedman.
Dunkley, a returning designer, shared her experience being backstage during the show saying, “The environment is really fun and [it] allows people who are interested in fashion and clothing to come together.”
Overall, Circle of Fashion’s Fall 2024 show was a celebration of student craftsmanship, uplifting artistic interests that fall outside the scope of school and coursework. The experience was one of collaboration and symbiosis: the designers were able to showcase their creations while attendees had the joy of getting dressed up for an evening out. The COF team created an unforgettable evening that is sure to have a lasting impact.
If you want to keep up with Circle of Fashion, you can follow them on Instagram @circleoffashionmcgill.