TWO Saturdays ago, the students of Hillel pulled out all the stops to host their fundraising fashion show, Couture. The atmosphere was lively, and abuzz with excitement. The anticipation radiated through crowd, consisting of students, parents and well-wishers.

The concept of Couture came as a result of students who found it necessary to give back to there community. When asked what the fundraiser was in aid of, the mastermind behind Couture, Keagan Russell, informed TEENage that its aim was to raise money to donate to institutions which provide care for persons who suffer from HIV and AIDS.

“We thought a fashion show would be the most appropriate avenue. I enjoy fashion and also the fact that Hillel has never had a ‘real’ fashion show before, it was our chance to become pioneers in that aspect,” Russell said.

He also told TEENage about the volume of work put into making this show a success by the students, and a success it was.

The school’s auditorium was transformed into a dazzling catwalk fit for any high-end fashion show. The backdrop was dotted by a series of artworks by a Hillel student Laura-ann Fung. The seats were also adorned with small treats, which added that subtle, yet very effective air of speciality.

Even though the show began a little later than scheduled, this did not come as much of a bother to the audience members. During this time, they were being entertained by the musical mixing provided courtesy of ZJ Electra.

With the show under way, though, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the participants as international supermodels, rather than high school students.

The eyes of the audience members were treated to visual candy, which came in the form of clothes provided by fashion-forward stores such as Puma, June Plum, OMG, Go West, MaxBrown and not to forget the ever trendy shoe store Foot Candy. The models displayed an array of clothing – from sports wear to evening gowns. There was something for every occasion.

The night ended on a high, with the audience still longing for more. However, they were compelled to be satisfied and to wait in anticipation for the next one. Keagan along with members of the Couture team officially closed out the night with the vote of thanks. They also reminded all that the fund-raiser would not have been such a success had it not been for the support provided by the many sponsors that came onboard.

At the end of the night the students raised $233,000 for HIV and AIDS support programmes.