About the Show
On August 19th at 8pm, at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, join us for a dynamic, student-run fashion show exploring the realistic future of fashion: a world where creativity gives way to functionality, and individuality fades into uniformity. More than just a runway, this event is intended to be a gallery-style experience, serving as a platform for aspiring designers, artists, and performers to showcase their shared exploration of this concept in front of a live audience. Whether you’re here to create, collaborate, or simply experience, we invite you to be a part of an unforgettable evening.
The Project
Starting in the summer of 2024 as a mere collection of designs in a sketchbook, this project quickly blossomed into something bigger: as more people were involved, introducing their own individual and unique inputs, this show became much more than a simple runway. VOLOSCO has created a community of young students who appreciate fashion and wish to express their interest in it among like-minded individuals, and it is unique in the sense that it isn’t overseen or managed by an adult professional. The show in itself is entirely created, organised, and held by students. This enables them to take full creative control, limiting restrictions and allowing them to make independent decisions and explore their talents in an environment that values collaboration and individual uniqueness. It empowers students to shape something meaningful on their own terms, proving that passion, when shared, can build something far greater than a single vision.
Though the event is a fashion show at its core, it isn’t just about clothes; it’s about conversation. We want to provide an opportunity for student artists of all mediums (be it visuals, writing, music- really any form of art) to explore this theme alongside us and respond to the concept in their own way. The event is going to be more of a gallery-style exhibition rather than just a runway show, so other students are welcome to display their work, be featured in the show itself, or set up stations if they’re interested in selling anything. To get involved, please reference this page:
The Concept
What happens when creativity becomes a casualty of societal advancement?
Recently, terms or concepts such as “the world turning grey” or being “stripped of colour” have been floating around. Do these claims actually have any substance behind them? Some link the world’s grey appearance to the increased usage of materials such as plastics and metals rather than wood, which is naturally more vibrant. But is that all there is to it? Ironically, with modern technology, a more colourful and creative world is more accessible now than ever, so why isn’t it a reality? And if the world is truly turning grey, how does this impact the individuals living in it?
Since the industrial revolution, Western societies particularly have been geared towards rapid technological advancements, prioritising productivity above all else. As a result, creativity and the arts have increasingly been overlooked, often seen as distractions or deemed less important. In the context of fashion, this is reflected by the increased production and selling of simpler clothing items such as T-shirts, sweatpants, jeans, hoodies, and other easily replicable garments.
Aside from specific individuals who make a deliberate effort against this, fashion within a community or society is largely defined by the clothes available to them in mall brands or fast-fashion industries, as those are the most accessible. When majority of these available clothes are grey and simple, the wardrobes of individuals follow suit.
Assuming the trend towards greyness continues, this collection explores a possible future; not a glamourised sci-fi world filled with flying cars and chrome, but rather one where this greyness reaches an extreme. In the context of fashion, this means muted tones, identical wardrobes, and the gradual disappearance of individuality for the sake of functionality and productivity. Those who make an effort to personalise their wardrobes will stand out more than ever before.
