Riffs&Runway Launches In Style

Photo by Sophie Wray.

Who doesn’t love a good party? Well, I can assure you that my co-editor and I are hardly an exception. Last Friday, we hosted the official launch of Riffs&Runway, welcoming close friends, local press, and a few familiar faces from the music and fashion scene.

Our directive for attendees was simple: look great, feel great, and have a great time. And on that front, we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. In my speech, I acknowledged the inherent intimidation of fashion within us all: “Fashion is very scary, yet you all look incredible.” It’s a rare sight to see a room full of university students dressed to the nines, especially considering our perpetually dusty bank accounts. But that night, style took precedence and the result was something truly special. As a bonus, there was no one better to have invited than Riffs&Runway’s frequent photographic collaborator Sophie Wray (who just so happens to be my closest friend from home) capturing our guest’s best angles. 

Beyond the celebrations, the evening was about connection. Plans were hatched and collaborations sparked, not just by us but among our guests as well. This is exactly what Riffs&Runway is about: bringing like-minded creatives together to make amazing things happen. No detail was overlooked, from the carefully curated playlist, featuring a mix of Brat, Bowie, and Blood Orange, to the walls plastered with reworked imagery of iconic figures from music, fashion, and legendary media, akin to that of an inspiration board or teenager’s bedroom wall. This was my personal contribution, in an effort to visually manifest our aspirations and take our place in the cultural discourse. We both hope that one day, Riffs&Runway will be as instantly recognisable as the images that inspired us.

Of course, as eager as we are for what’s ahead, we could never overlook this milestone. “Without everyone in this room, Harry and I wouldn’t be here,” Fin told the room. “We’d be alive, of course,” I joked. As (comically) right as I was, we’d certainly be a lot more miserable. The people in that room, smiling up at us on stage, had been our biggest supporters during the six months we had been building this magazine. Their excitement excited us in return, and without it we doubt we would have made it to this moment.

Photos by Sophie Wray.

“As much as Riffs&Runway is about Fin and I, everyone in this room and everyone who reads our work becomes part of our collective, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” I told them. “Whether you are not into music or fashion, we want you to pass us on to someone who will. We hope to build a community where anyone can join the conversation.” If I were to humbly pat myself on the back, my statement truly embodies our friendship, the foundation of this entire project. When I met Fin, at long last I finally had someone to relate my deep love for fashion and music to and nothing would make us happier than having others find that same connection through Riffs&Runway.

As for the future, we may have dropped a few hints, but for now, those secrets can stay in the room where it happened. What we can promise is that whatever comes next will be anything but boring, and we couldn’t be happier to have you join our story.

We would both like to thank the staff of Lower Deck for their hospitality and helping the evening run smoothly, Megan German for designing our lighting, Sophie Wray for photography and many of our close friends who helped bring our vision for the venue to life.

Cheers to Riffs&Runway.

Photo by Sophie Wray.