Runway at UVA is more than just a fashion club; it’s a cultural force. While known for selecting models from the student body for its runway shows, the club extends beyond the catwalk, fostering creativity and bold self-expression. Through a combination of fashion shows, design workshops, and themed parties, Runway encourages students to treat the world as their runway—one that doesn’t end at the stage but continues onto the dance floor and into broader conversations about identity, artistry, and community.
Last year’s fashion show carried the theme “Rumors of War,” an intense and dynamic showcase filled with bold colors, striking silhouettes, and student-created designs. But Runway’s influence isn’t confined to a single show each year. The club regularly holds design workshops where students learn how to craft fashion from raw materials, merging creativity with hands-on skill. Beyond the technical aspects, the club creates an atmosphere where students can be daring with their style, treating clothing as both a statement and an art form.
Runway’s parties are just as immersive as their runway shows. These events often take place in frat houses, where live music and creative themes set the tone for the night. On February 8, just in time for Valentine’s Day, they hosted “Paradise Lost,” a party designed to blend fashion with a uniquely interactive social experience. The dress code reflected the ethereal, gothic energy of the theme, with suggested elements like lace, mesh, flowy silhouettes, cybersigilism, chains, crosses, and neutrals. Attendees who embodied the aesthetic were selected for event photos, later showcased on Runway’s Instagram account. The club also encouraged guests to tag them in stories, eagerly resharing posts and further extending the night’s energy beyond the event itself.
The most distinctive element of Paradise Lost was the use of glow sticks to indicate sexual orientation and relationship status. Attendees could choose from different colors upon entry—blue if they were into men, pink if they were into women, green if they were into everyone, red if they were taken, and yellow for those in complicated situationships. The system made the event inherently LGBTQ+ inclusive, creating a space where students could express their identities freely while fostering organic connections. Given that same-sex marriage was only legalized nationwide in 2015 and that many LGBTQ+ individuals still face social and legal challenges, the significance of such an event goes beyond just a fun night out. It provides a space where queer joy, romance, and expression are not just welcomed but celebrated. It’s fitting that a fashion club would be at the forefront of this, as so many major fashion revolutions have been driven by marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color, whose creativity has continually reshaped the industry.
Runway’s Instagram account hints at something mysterious coming on March 1. Their recent posts feature cryptic images—a security camera, a person holding a broken string, black mesh fabric, and a photo of the Rotunda with its columns draped in veils. Their bio includes a thought-provoking quote from Judith Butler: “Censorship is not merely about prohibiting words; it is about deciding which voices count as speech in the first place.” A link in their bio leads to an article titled “Healing Talk,” which references Day of Dialogue at UVA, an event created in response to two tragic deaths in 2009 and 2010—one involving sexual assault and the other domestic violence. The Rotunda’s columns were covered in dark veils as a symbol of communal mourning and a reminder of the gravity of the events that took place. Professor Sanda Iliescu, who designed the installation, described the veils as a way to acknowledge loss, stating that it would be distasteful to turn away from the tragedies that occurred.
With no details yet on what will happen on March 1, Runway has created an air of mystery surrounding their next event. Given their reputation for merging artistry with activism, anticipation is high. Whether it will be a show, an exhibit, or something entirely unexpected, one thing is certain: it will be worth watching.
Follow @runwayatuva on Instagram to stay updated.
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