OK, we have all been to magical nights. So, let’s get specific when saying that tonight the London Queer Fashion Show was magical. In this particular case the event, held at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood in East London, was not Maleficent magical (although it was very Jolie). It was not Midsummer Night’s Dream magical (despite being a very temperate 20 degrees Celsius outside). It was not Witches of Eastwick magical (regardless of all the horny devils). Tonight, fashion friends, was pure Hufflepuff. Yes, we said it, the underdog of magic reigned supreme this evening.

For those muggles who did not get more acquainted with Hogwarts than the goody two shoes Griffindors or the good for a one night stand Slytherins then you need to know that the great quality of Hufflepuff is that they accept anyone and everyone, just as they are.

And so it was with the magic of the London Queer Fashion Show. It is not just the fact that it is queer designers, queer performers, and queer models. It is that the queer models are all shapes, all sizes, all races, all abilities, and all genders. And that a queer crowd does not do patronizing cheers. They only do full throated, thrilled to be there cheers. So just for one night, tonight, we had a celebration of beauty that included everyone, whether they cat walked on two feet, or two wheels, or with a cane or duckfeet (the ballroom voguers were in full force). Highlight of the evening in terms of the most cheered diversity of person was the wonderful SOPHIE COCHEVELOU cavalcade of human loveliness.

From a fashion perspective there was a lot that was more carnival costume than couture. A cacophony of Day of the Dead zombie meets Drag Race. Within it, however, there was also the sexy peekaboo cutouts of strippy latex by Insatiable Lust that are bound to find their adult audience. Starkly contrasted with that was the wearable flowing blue/grey elegance of The Avenue London Town. The first half of The Avenue was a show stopper and they probably should have kept back the second half with their more commercial high street leisure wear for a less over the top occasion. Street influenced beachy wear with an edge, by G’Zell, was best able to strike the perfect balance of commerce and showmanship.

Though it is over tonight, the London Queer Fashion Show is an annual event. It was a frantically fun show and Queerguru will be back next year to see if they can make the magical inclusivity last.  

https://www.londonqueerfashionshow.com/

Review by Andrew Hebden

Queerguru Correspondent Andrew Hebden is a MEDIA & CULTURAL STUDIES graduate spending his career between London, Beijing and NYC as an expert in media and social trends. As part of the expanding minimalist FIRE movement he recently returned to the UK and lives in Soho. He devotes as much time as possible to the movies, theatre and the gym. His favorite thing is to try something (anything) new every day.