Edinburgh University Charity Fashion Show 2009

The Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show hits the runway on 20 March, and we can expect a night to remember. For 2009, the ECFS team are aiming to launch their charitable reputation sky-bound, with the theme "Revolution" and an emphasis on making a difference.

Over the past five years, the ECFS has showcased collections from Stella McCartney, Luella and Vivienne Westwood, appeared in Tatler, and raised £238,000 for charity, transcending the standards one might expect from a student organisation.

Press manager Giulia Frontini is keen to explain that the show represents "Edinburgh as a city, not Edinburgh University," with contributions from local designers and financial backing from Edinburgh businesses. To this end, she hopes to attract a more diverse student audience – not just those lucky few who can afford to haggle for Sting’s guitar at the legendary VIP auction. Tickets for students on the night are priced at £15.

Sticking firmly to this ethos, theatre-minded director Polly Bennett has created a spectacle of a show that hopes to engage on many levels, involving interactive visuals, a lively set, and a chorus of dancers—"silent storytellers"—all adding to the drama of the runway. If such a "feast for the eyes" isn’t enough, ticket holders should also prepare for a knock-to-the-conscience, with a striking change in attitude this year to compliment the revolutionary theme. The traditional flamboyance is being stripped away, replaced by a daring plea to take responsibility for our place in the world.

The motto of ECFS 2009 is "the sky is our limit: the runway our starting point." But how far can a fashion show really make a difference, and how far can the conventional fashion boundaries be pushed? With the proclamation that "fashion is not only about pretty girls in heels," the team clearly feels that no such boundaries exist.

Although the combination of dancers, multimedia and exotic music looks set to make for an entertaining show, perhaps a more interesting observation will be to follow the direction they take with the clothes – arguably the focus of the whole affair. How will this aspect of the show differ? How will their selection, styling and combination of clothes and designers support this notion of a revolt against tradition? At present, the designers to feature in the show have not been confirmed.

But there remains a risk that fashion becomes a mere accessory to the spectacle, swallowed up by the drama that surrounds it. But if fashion is, indeed, the primary focus, one hopes that it is set remain at the forefront, with music, dance and drama in supporting roles. If this is achieved, ECFS 2009 may truly be an accomplishment, worthy of a lasting legacy.