Study Abroad Student: Delilah Roberts at the Central Saint Martins White Show

Each year, the BA Fashion students at CSM collaborate with BA Fashion Communication & Promotion students, creating a show which consists of designing garments using only white fabric. After having gone digital last year due to Covid,  everyone was thrilled to see the showcase return to in-person this December.

This year the white show with its 25-year legacy was renamed the Light show and returned to its home in Kings Cross, taking place in front of the students, tutors, and guests.

We followed Study Abroad student Delilah Robert's journey in the White Show, from designing and creating, to walking the show.

With a background in Biopsychology and Pre-Medical, Delilah decided to switch her career into Bodily Sculpture at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Tufts University. At UAL she is studying Fashion Womenswear as an integrated student at Central Saint Martins.

“I feel really grateful to be part of a show that only happens once a year, especially as a study abroad student. Being a part of something that's so legendary at Central Saint Martin is so special. This is the first time I saw a lot of students work and just everyone is so talented and so inspiring to see everything. We have such a beautiful campus to walk through for the runway so we don't need to go anywhere else to do a runway which is really nice. I was really nervous but the hair and makeup person did an amazing job. To be honest,  I thought today was going to go a lot less smooth just because there are like 150 models but it went really well. I'm so happy to have done it but I'm happy to be done with it as well!

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The show especially changed my perception of public nudity. I come from an academic environment in studying medicine, in place my family was shocked to talk about me being in a thong on the runway. They see it as something that's not acceptable, embarrassing. While here it's a very strong embracing environment for anybody of whatever shape and size. Nudity is an expression of love for the human body so that was really cool to see.”

What is your first impression of London and UAL?

It’s a highly competitive and experimental environment. This makes for an extremely motivating community of faculty and students that I can already tell will remain a part of my network throughout my future endeavours.

What do you most enjoy about your classes?

The open-endedness of all the briefs.

Tell us about your work here? How is it different to back home?

I’m studying fashion here, which is quite a jump from my medical studies and sculpture work back at Tufts/SMFA.

How was your travel from your country to here and how is life in London?

Travelling here was really easy. I’ve been loving it here.

How do you think studying with us will help you in the future?

I remember hearing one of the heads of fashion design at CSM say that your biggest advantage of studying here is your graduating class. I think that sums it up really well. You’re studying alongside the future of the fashion industry in a way. There’s nothing more valuable for a future in fashion.

What are your plans when you’ve finished your course?

So I graduate this May with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts and am looking to enter into a company that’s informed by and involved in both of these fields.