By Ryan Vinit Bharathan (21A01C), Chairperson and Adrienne Chew (21A01A), Vice-Chairperson
The great Donatella Versace once said, “Fashion is about dreaming, and making other people dream.”
If these wise words of Versace resonate with you, then Raffles Runway—the fashion design club of RI—is just the place for you! In short, we’re a team of student designers who come together and share our passion for fashion with one another. Don’t worry, there aren’t any threads attached (haha, get it?), just an emotional entanglement with the CCA!
During CCA sessions, we learn pretty much everything there is to know about fashion—styles, trends, designing, sewing—knowledge and skills that ultimately culminates down the runway of our annual fashion show.
Every year, we have our official R’PROJECT, a spectacular event that celebrates the artistry and skills involved in fashion as our models strut down the runway in our own designs. The theme of the R’PROJECT is decided by the senior batch of designers, and it is different each year—a special tradition that illustrates the uniqueness and creativity of every new batch of designers.
You must be thinking, “wow, that sounds like a lot of work!” and to tell you the truth, it is. Designers spend countless hours of hard work sourcing for inspiration, experimenting with fabrics and sewing endlessly just to prepare for this one moment in time when the world gets to see what Runway is made of. Sure, it’s tough sometimes, but the reward lies not only in seeing our creations come to life on the runway but also in having our messages conveyed in our designs be experienced by others.
Fashion is more than just glitz and glam; it’s about owning a one of a kind opportunity to express our emotions, thoughts, and ideas through a medium that pushes boundaries and captures the hearts and minds of many.
To our aspiring designers, do not fret if you have little to no knowledge in fashion or sewing. We work closely with various fashion experts, namely our mentor and alumni Jon from Jon Max Goh, who guides us along our CCA journey to becoming designers. Most importantly, your knowledge and skills on fashion and its elements will only expand and grow with experience in the CCA!
Runway is a place for people to spread their originality and joy in designing—a sanctuary where art and individual expression are one to make magical works of fashion. There’s one key element to fashion that everyone should know: the sky’s the limit. Whether you’re a master at sewing and design or you’ve just begun to test the waters of sketching a gown, we welcome you. All we ask is a burning passion and a dedicated heart to fashion. And don’t worry, we promise you, you don’t need to know how to sew!