DUCFS has become an integral part of the Durham University annual calendar, but where did it start? I wanted to ‘dig up’ the history of the show which has spanned over the last 41 years. Whilst student fashion shows were made famous in popular culture as the setting for William and Kate’s St Andrews meet-cute, DUCFS is proud to be the original student-led Fashion show. Founded in 1983, DUCFS was built with the purpose of providing students with a creative outlet, previously lacking from university life. Its popularity quickly grew as an event that could be enjoyed by everyone, offering students the chance to experience the professionalism of a London Fashion Week Show, at a student price. DUCFS has since grown to be Europe’s largest student-led charitable event raising unprecedented sums for important and worthwhile causes. Keep reading to find out about DUCFS’ past and present; the charities that have been supported, creative visions, venues and even famous alumni!
With charity and fundraising at the center of DUCFS’ ethos, it is great to reflect on its incredible achievement of raising over £1million in 6 years. DUCFS strives to support a wide range of causes, with a recent focus on creating a tangible, positive impact within the local community of the North-East of the UK. In 2024, DUCFS chose to support the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Their funding helped add two additional phone lines to CALM’s helpline, enabling 19,574 more potentially life-saving calls, along with supporting an educational campaign in the North-East. Other important causes that DUCFS has supported include The Environmental Justice Foundation, Stop the Traffik, and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Creativity also lies at the heart of DUCFS, with a new vision carefully crafted, planned and executed to perfection every year. The creative narrative is conveyed through the show’s fashion, music, and visual elements. DUCFS continues to showcase the boundless creative talents within Durham, with each year’s innovative ideas serving as a testament to the creativity of the student community. Some previous themes which explore a wide range of creative concepts, include “Disconnected and Reconnected” in 2021, which delved into the powerful dichotomy between technology and human connection. Other themes include the 2018 “Mavericks to Moments,” the 2019 “Pull the Thread,” and the 2015 “Urban//Classic,” each showcasing different aspects of culture, innovation, and style.
DUCFS is particularly unique in showcasing bold, avant-garde clothing, hand-designed by fashion students from around the world. As DUCFS has expanded in size and recognition, it has attracted sponsorship from well-known fashion brands, including Uniqlo, Charles Tyrwhitt, and Me+EM, all of which were featured in DUCFS 2024. In earlier years, DUCFS also secured notable partnerships, most iconically with TOPSHOP in 2016, during the height of the Joni Jeans and fur gilet era. DUCFS infiltration into the fashion industry does not stop there, as notable alumni include Eliza Batten, model, reality tv star and founder of an online pre-loved clothing shop, and Sabrina Basson, aka Tube Girl.
DUCFS is currently held in Rainton Arena, the only venue in the area that is large enough to cater to the demand of the 4000 students wanting to attend the show. Last year was a turning point in DUCFS history with the introduction of a 4th night, demonstrating its continuous growth and popularity. However, DUCFS originated in the Student Union Ballroom with only a few hundred attendees, until it outgrew that space and was hosted in Mount Oswald Golf Club until 2013. Even in the face of global pandemics, DUCFS has persevered. In 2022, the event was relocated to an outdoor marquee, where it still managed to achieve success despite the challenges.
It must be stated though that DUCFS is nothing without the people behind it. As an entirely student-run organisation, executive members take on the impressive task of executing the 9-month campaign, alongside their degrees and other commitments. Its due to the hard work and dedication that students put into DUCFS, that it has been able to grow at such a remarkable rate. A true testament of this is the expansion of DUCFS’ umbrella in the form of both Launchpad and THREAD. These two platforms have been immensely successful since being founded in 2022/23, offering tangible support to local charities in Durham (Launchpad) and providing students with an opportunity to showcase their interests in all things fashion and the arts (THREAD).
DUCFS’ 2025 campaign is in full swing we can’t wait for the year ahead. To stay up to date with all of our pre-show events, charitable fundraisers and ticket releases follow @ducfs on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
by Eliza Herzog
