TMU Presents Lucid Dreams Fashion Show: A Review

(scroll to the bottom for photos)

On April 6 – 7, 2023, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) hosted its first annual Lucid Dreams Fashion Show. This interactive fashion show brings psychedelic art and fashion to the runway. This event was a collaboration between the students of FSN706 and FSN610. The collection created by these students showcased the rich culture and history of the Caribbean Carnival.
Below are the highlights from the media preview held on Thursday, April 6, 2023:
Before the Show
The fashion show was held on the upper level of the Creative Innovation Studio on the TMU campus. After enjoying refreshments sponsored by Daydream Drinks, everyone moved to a small studio room with dim lighting at the show. To clearly see the fashions, one may need to stretch their neck beyond the shoulders of the attendees. It also didn’t help that seating was limited.
The show began with a quick introduction from Zach Elliott, a Fashion Communications student and emcee for the event. He thanked the following sponsors: Daydream Drinks for the refreshments and EVRY JEWELS for providing everyone with 15% off coupon codes to use on their website. Then he handed the microphone to Candice Dixon, founder of SUGACAYNE and TMU professor. She was beaming with pride for her students and all the hard work they had put into their creations throughout the semester. Since SUGACAYNE is a boutique Caribbean carnival costume design and production company, Candice was particularly invested in this fashion show. In preparation for the show, she encouraged the student designers to be innovative with their designs. She also reminded them that this show was about storytelling and to let the clothes tell the story. And with that, the show finally began.

Let the Clothes Tell the Story

There was a total of fourteen carnival costumes that were presented on the runway. One of the standout pieces was a gorgeous gold jumpsuit inspired by Oshun, a significant river goddess amongst the Yoruba-based religions of West Africa. This jumpsuit (designed by Eve Cairns, Beth Jenkins, and Adebayo Omole) is dripping in gold and silver beads in a waterfall effect to symbolize her association with freshwater, the Osun River, and wealth. Following the Oshun-inspired jumpsuit was a cute white rabbit piece. According to the student designers, Ashley McLucas and Sabrina Tranfaglia, their costume was inspired by the characters from Alice in Wonderland. The giant rabbit ear headpiece and cat-eye mask were obviously inspired by the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. The coolest part of this costume was the bouquet made out of playing cards and upcycled beads. While it was a cute costume, minor styling details made the outfit more cabaret-burlesque and less carnival. These minor styling details included the bustle and bedazzled, lace-trimmed, thigh-high stockings. Near the end of the show, student designer Xinyu Luan’s carnival costume reflected the cooperation between China and the Caribbean. According to her, her costume depicted the gradual integration of traditional Chinese culture with Caribbean culture in the process of learning and communication. The end result was a vibrant and bold two-piece costume with blue, red, and yellow feathers, a long flowing orange skirt, and douyin-inspired makeup.
After the show, attendees stuck around to congratulate the designers, take pictures with the models, and learn more about the process and hard work that went into each creation.
Congratulations to the students of FSN706 and FSN610 on their show. See below for pictures from the event.

Overall Impressions

Overall, the Lucid Dreams Fashion Show presented by TMU was a great success. It showcased the creativity and talent of the student designers and provided an immersive experience for attendees. The collaboration between FSN706 and FSN610 resulted in a diverse and dynamic collection of carnival costumes that reflected the rich culture and history of the Caribbean.

Focus on Sustainability

The event also strongly emphasized sustainability and upcycling, with several of the costumes featuring repurposed materials such as playing cards and upcycled beads. This focus on sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the fashion industry, and it is encouraging to see young designers incorporating it into their work.

Opportunities for Improvement

One potential area for improvement in future iterations of the show is the seating arrangement. Better lighting and a more spacious seating arrangement would improve the viewing experience.

Congratulations to the students of FSN706 and FSN610

After the show, attendees stuck around to congratulate the designers, take pictures with the models, and learn more about the process and hard work that went into each creation.
Congratulations to the students of FSN706 and FSN610 on their show. See below for pictures from the event.

Overall, the Lucid Dreams Fashion Show was a unique and exciting event that highlighted the importance of storytelling in fashion design. By using their designs to tell stories about culture, history, and mythology, the students were able to create a truly memorable and meaningful fashion show.
If you missed this year’s show, mark your calendar for next year’s Lucid Dreams Fashion Show at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). This is an event that you will want to attend, and it’s sure to inspire and amaze you with its innovative and imaginative fashion designs.