Models show off first-year students' dresses. Photo: Marina Chekalova

By Marina Chekalova

“The Basics” showed that after only a few months in the program, Ryerson’s fashion design students already have the skills to put on a pretty decent fashion show.

A showcase of works that students from different years created when they first started at Ryerson, The Basics is more than just a title. It is also the theme that the students hoped to embody with their designs. By enforcing strict guidelines and specific requirements, the idea of the project was to have students express themselves creatively and thinking outside of the box, instead of just turning to current trends.

The exposed brick walls and dim lighting made for a space as interesting as the clothes on display. Music played in the background while a team of photographers ran around trying to set up proper lighting and adjust the settings on their camera before the start of the show.

One after the other, beautiful girls in sky-high heels made their way down the runway in dresses that ranged from vibrant and flirty to retro and exciting. No two were alike, which surprised Dr. Alison Matthews David, an assistant professor in the School of Fashion.

“The students had really strict guidelines that they had to follow when designing these dresses—all the dresses had to have buttons on the front, for example—so I’m very impressed with how they turned out,” she said at the end of the show.

[Show as slideshow]