Calum Esler

Here in St. Andrews it is clear that we care a lot about the way we look. You only have to walk down Market Street to see how fashion conscious students are here, which means it is no surprise that so many fashion shows take place throughout the year. Yet, whilst it’s great that there’s such an outlet for fashionistas in the town it can also be a bit daunting for those of us less confident in our appearances. That’s where LABEL comes in. This group is all about body positivity and its models proudly flaunt this ideal as well as their get ups.

LABEL is not just another St. Andrews fashion show; it is a brand that promotes inclusivity through a variety of means. They have a committed team of writers who release articles covering a whole range of topics related to the organization’s core message, run art festivals and, last year, even released a theatre piece called Label: My Body.

So with all this in mind the company wanted to choose a theme for their new fashion show that was interesting and innovative whilst remaining linked to their core values. This theme is ‘deconstructed fairytales’ and they have already released photos of their models embracing this theme. LABEL wanted to take the classic idea of fairytales being about beautiful damsels being saved by daring and handsome knights and princes, and flip it on its head – turn it inside out. At their show in April they hope to challenge preconceptions about fairytales and subvert ideas perpetuated by the genre. This show will be supported musically by a close friend of the organisation and former model, Liquid Alloy (who most recently DJ’d at the AttenBOP).

However, LABEL has even bigger news to share with the St. Andrews community. As founder, Jo Boon, will soon be graduating she is taking LABEL away with her. Already connections are being made in Manchester and London with the end goal being holding a variety of exhibitions and fashion shows in these larger locations. This is a big step for an organisation that was started by a student here in St. Andrews and it really stands as an inspiration for anyone hesitant about starting a project that they’re passionate about. Just get out there and go for it, you never know where it might take you!

For now, though, it’s back to the rehearsal room for more practice ahead of the show in April where I’m sure we’ll all be shown how easy it is to remove our labels.