The first in-person show in three years: BelezaXll
By Hermione So
On September 17th at 5-6pm, Renaissance College’s longest legacy fashion show, Beleza returned with its twelfth iteration, resurrecting the school’s creative spirit.
Hosted in the Performing Arts Centre (PAC), BelezaXII reinvigorated the experience of a school fashion show, showcasing collections from the community's freshest and most talented designers. Over 80 audience members attending the show raised more than $10,000 towards CoolMinds Hong Kong, an organization that promotes mental health awareness of students throughout the city.
Beleza, a huge, expensive production initiated in 2010 is an annual student-run fashion show that aims to provide designers a platform to display their artistry and creativity while also raising awareness of a social cause. The production values inclusivity, diversity and creativity, but was dropped off the radar for a few years before it was picked up again in 2022. This year, it gathered designers and models across Year 10-13 students from all over Hong Kong to nurture creative talents among them.
Seven student-designed collections, ranging from “The Victorian Goths” to “龍章鳳姿” to “Tatouage” and many more, demonstrated the unique spin on a diverse range of historical fashion eras, cultures and themes. Some students even had interschool collaborations with KGV and CityU. All collections were curated and presented on the runway by the brilliant models. With round tables and different pathways set up, it ensured the models could provide the audience an interactive experience. The show also featured talented interludes of vocal performances, K-Pop dances, and instrumental performances.
Shriya Srinivasan, BelezaXII Head of Designers, mentioned how it took almost an entire year of preparation for BelezaXII to take place. “Since the project was centred towards getting it on its feet and quality over quantity, we formed a small core team, causing an intensive workload for every member,” she added.
Audrey Yip, BelezaXII Head of Operations described BelezaXII as an experimental show. "We wanted to try unconventional things [considering the realm of school fashion shows] to create a unique experience. This includes the paparazzi concept of our model reveal photoshoots, where we photographed models at various Hong Kong locations while simulating a celebrity being trailed by relentless photographers. The encounter was fascinating,” Yip explains.
Designer and audience member Valerie So, was responsible for five designs. She said, “I doubted myself as I believed five designs within such a short period was possible. There was a lot of pressure, but the time I put into designing them was definitely worth it.”
Owing to the efforts of the designers, models and performers, BelezaXII went smoothly and impressed many. “The show was unforgettable. It included everything I wanted and more,” remarked an audience member.
When asked about the struggles of BelezaXII, both Srinavasan and Yip noted that COVID-19 restrictions heavily affected the show. “We have had to reschedule photoshoots and arrange rehearsals with minimal people due to the pandemic,” Yip said. “Regardless, I hope everyone who attended and participated got to see what a live fashion show is like post-COVID.”
Srinivasan revealed that the support team in BelezaXII put in long hours every rehearsal to bring the show together. “I must mention that this level of commitment was quite a shock to all of us as our school has gone years without an in-person production and I feel many of us forgot the community-wide effort that it used to take,” she continued.
With BelezaXII coming to a conclusion, the core team showed great appreciation, saying, "We are most thrilled to announce that we've put on a spectacular show that fostered the artistic skills in our school community and assisted in benefiting the wellbeing of students. With that mentioned, we want to express our sincere gratitude to our audience members and guests for their support. We also want to tremendously thank each and every person that contributed to the success and value of BelezaXII.”
BelezaXII was an adventure – from lacking resources and time to invest into the traditional route of hiring deputies, to pulling together an outstanding show. As the project moves forward, it is anticipated that COVID-19 regulations will return to normal, allowing the event to reach a larger audience. Many look forward to seeing what the future holds for the production.