The Club Where “Fashion Meets Philanthropy”
How a passion for clothes and colours aims to relieve food insecurity in Scarborough.
During winter, the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus isn’t exactly the most fashionable hotspot. Besides the brutalist architecture and occasional sunny days, our routines aren’t filled with much glamour in thick jackets and snow boots. Regardless, fashion does arise from within these seemingly dull spaces.
For instance, to Faith Chhoyang, President of the UTSC Charity Fashion Show (CFS), “fashion is a means of self-expression, how you want to be viewed by the world, and a reflection of how you see yourself.”
In the evening of March 9, 2024 at Highland Hall’s Event Centre, the club hosted UTSC’s first student-run charity fashion show, gathering attendees in flashy attires and featuring local vendors, music, and the main modelling exhibit.
Lights, Camera, Fashion!
As the sun set on a Saturday, a check-in booth at the back entrance of Highland Hall welcomed a patient queue of guests in distinctive garments. General and VIP admission tickets granted access to a venue with food stations, local vendor stalls, a sparkly photo booth, and a seat in the event’s two-row runway. Behind its curtains, club executives, models, and hair and makeup artists were finalizing the last details before the outset of the show.
At around 8:00 p.m., with the attendees seated and the showlights on, the event started with some words from Vice President External—and the night’s host—Jasmine Ho, and a rap session from three student artists.
Photo by: Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre // THE UNDERGROUND
The show, divided in two parts with a short intermission, featured student models wearing apparel of Toronto-based and international brands. Styles varied from streetwear to traditional clothing pieces in an evening “where style meets substance, and where fashion meets philanthropy,” as Ho put it.
Some of the stellar looks on the runway. Photos by: Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre // THE UNDERGROUND
The night ended with appreciation words by Faith to UTSC’s Office of Student Experience and Wellbeing, PhotoboothTO, The Underground, Star Studio, and other sponsors. Following this, the President announced the raffle winner of designer items and store discounts.
From modelling to “the other side of things”
The origin of the UTSC CFS can be traced back to the ideas and passions of the club’s founder. Now a third-year student in Arts Management, Theatre, and Psychology, Faith’s approximation to fashion in university began when she attended the Rouge Fashion Show 2022 where she sat beside a designer she later modelled for. The following year, she modelled for the U of T Charity Fashion Show and had soon after created her own charity fashion show for UTSC.
Scenes behind the runway. Photo by: Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre // THE UNDERGROUND
From this experience, she found value in making connections with one of the event’s fashion designers and local photographers.
“I’d like to give this networking opportunity to other people interested in modelling, photography, fashion design, or more, so people can meet other fashion enthusiasts in a safe environment,” she said in an email statement to The Underground.
After finding out that UTSC was the only campus without a fashion show club, Faith worked in planning the logistics of the campus’ charity fashion club throughout the summer of last year. This effort involved discussing donation procedures with various charities and continued with a two-rounds hiring process.
So far, the club has hosted fashion-related events on campus, such as photoshoots, embroidery workshops, and vendor markets, all with successful turnouts.
“It’s been a long but rewarding process,” Faith said.
She hopes that UTSC CFS operates “similarly to a modelling agency,” providing portfolio-building resources through their events and aiming to reach out to more students and businesses in the future.
Giving back to the community
Along with fashion, philanthropy is a centrepiece in the club’s mission.
Faith, who worked in the past at a Feed Scarborough food bank and is now a Coordinator at the SCSU Food Centre, directly saw the impact of food insecurity in Scarborough communities. This moved her to seek a partnership between the UTSC CFS and Feed Scarborough, which consolidated this year in February.
“It was just great synergy,” said Robin Sagi, responsible for Marketing and Donor Relations at Feed Scarborough.
The organization—which also works closely with Culinaria Research Centre at UTSC—strives “to see a hunger-free, resilient Scarborough” with “innovative solutions to poverty reduction.” For instance, the sale of the tickets to the March fashion show makes a contribution to Feed Scarborough food banks, as indicated by the UTSC CFS.
According to Feed Scarborough’s latest report, students account for two thirds of food bank visits, many of them being international students who lack proper employment support.
Number of visits to Feed Scarborough food banks from June 2022 to June 2023. Picture via Scarborough Food Security Initiative. Data and Figures Courtesy of FEED SCARBOROUGH
Sagi remarked that food insecurity is an issue that students often neglect by consuming cheap and easy foods, which are often unhealthy.
“Just because you’re a student does not justify the fact that you’re eating lower-nutrition-valued food because that should be the norm. That actually should not be the norm at all.”
Aside from the ticket sales of the fashion show, the UTSC CFS raises money through their workshops and market events, with a small percentage going to Feed Scarborough.
“Each step, each outfit is a testament to our commitment to making a difference,” said Ho to kickstart the runway show, “[This commitment] is a reminder that fashion is not merely about what we wear, but about the impact we can create through our choices. Behind the glitz and glamour of tonight’s event lies a sense of responsibility and compassion.”
We would like to thank UTSC CFS and Feed Scarborough for taking the time to talk with The Underground.
Disclaimer: The Underground is a sponsor for UTSC CFS’s fashion show.
