By News Editor Amanda Uwase.
‘Fun, scary, sexy… it’s everything you want in a movie.’ DCU Style Society fashion show ‘Magnum Opus’ paid homage to fashion in film at the Venue. Though the Helix is its usual home, this year’s tighter budget might have suggested compromise, yet what unfolded was anything but.
Backstage, model Margaret Idele, described it as more than just a show. It was collaborative, shaped alongside stylists, built deliberately. “Film and fashion work because people are still connected to film,” she said. “Clothes are how people express themselves… It’s cultural, it’s narrative.”
Each look felt like a scene lifted from a carefully constructed play. It didn’t just replicate the magic of film; it embodied it.
Opening the show was Oyin Adeyemi, season 1 winner of Traitors, who returned to present the fashion show. She carried the night effortlessly, her presence both stylish and magnetic, guiding the audience through each moment with ease.
Sourced by @mattsurkov
Judges, student designers, and the audience shared in the glow of a night that felt bigger than its setting. The atmosphere didn’t sit still; it radiated.
Even behind the lens, the energy was undeniable. Sean Manor, a photographer, described it as “electric… like the 3Arena,” recalling how each second offered something new, something alive. Summoned by the fashion board, he arrived, and stayed, caught in the rhythm of it all.
For one evening, Magnus didn’t just showcase fashion. It became it. We spoke to the judges to understand why they were there and what the show truly represents to them.
Rashiid sat on the runway after the show, a camera trained on her as she gathered her thoughts—still processing it all “Document everything,” she said firmly. “Even when you feel like sh*t.” She finished with this gem “Everyone is going to tell you to do it a certain way… but it’s really not the case.”
Nearby, Claire Garvey spoke with ease, shaped by years of watching the fashion industry evolve in Ireland being one of the pioneers. There was a time, she reflected, when nothing like this existed, no real platform, no structured support for emerging designers. Now, she stood within it, not just observing but creating opportunity, with the winning designer set to be showcased in her Temple Bar clothing boutique.
Mihai Mar, co-founder of Dublin Independent Fashion Week, spoke freely, still taking it all in. He reflected on the choreography, the energy, the intention behind each look. “It’s an honour to judge something like this,” he said. “The future of Irish fashion is in good hands.” Then, almost in passing: have a distinct point of view, and consume as much as you can.
Speaking to the brains behind the show, Co chairperson of style society, Jude Imele, reflected on both the models and the vision. “Fun, scary, sexy… it’s everything you want in a movie,” he said, as if replaying it all in his head.
Seven weeks of work lingered in every detail. Twenty-four models, many stepping onto the runway for the first time, moved with a confidence that felt earned. The crowd noticed. He smiled, recalling the reactions: the cheers, the cameras, the loud approval. “They loved the models,” he said simply. “We chose well.”
Sourced by @mattsurkov
And then, almost casually, the full-circle moment, Oyin Adeyemi opening the show. No elaborate story, just a brother sister relationship. She had once recruited him into Style Soc in first year. Now, she was back as a presenter, and he was running the show.
It looks like DCU Style Society has succeeded once again in bringing something special to the stage, and already, the anticipation for the next show lingers.