Thanks in part to 'that dress', a student-run catwalk show is now a firm fixture on the fashion map

When London Fashion Week drew to a very stylish close earlier this week, the models' blood, sweat and tears were barely dry on some of the collections before they were carefully wrapped in tissue and couriered 400 miles north to one of Scotland's biggest fashion events.

The St Andrews University Fashion Show (FS) is now in its 19th year, and far from being some cobbled-together excuse for a bevvy, it's one of the top events on the UK's student calendar and a decidedly slick operation.

Attracting around 3,000 guests each year, to date it has raised nearly 200,000 for a variety of charities, and the 2011 show, which takes place this evening, will support Trekstock, a UK charity which funds research into cancers affecting young people.

Good causes aside, it's also a firm favourite on Scotland's social calendar, and it was, famously, the catalyst for a royal romance. It was at the 2002 show that a young Prince William, who had paid 200 for a seat in the front row, sat up and took notice of one of the models. Kate Middleton, already a friend of his, wore black lingerie beneath a see-through dress to strut her stuff, ruffling the feathers of the future King and prompting him to exclaim to his neighbour, "Wow, Kate's hot!"

Since the announcement of the couple's engagement, the number of hits on the show's website has shot up. The dress in question, designed by Charlotte Todd and only ever worn by Ms Middleton, is being auctioned in London on 17 March, and is expected to fetch between 8,000 and 10,000.

That the heir to the throne has sat front-row-centre goes some way towards explaining how this event came to be such a powerhouse on the Scottish fashion scene. The university has one of the lowest percentages of students from lower income backgrounds in the UK, and these being no ordinary students, it's no ordinary show.

They may be well-connected, but they're also a hard-working bunch, and every year, members of a dedicated committee of 28 spend months courting weighty sponsors. This year sees Alfa Romeo and Elite Model Management – one of the biggest modelling agencies in the world – come on board, and past sponsors include Moet & Chandon, Peroni and Swarovski. Schwarzkopf is 2011's official partner, while media covering the event are being put up in the five-star Fairmont Hotel. Other big-name sponsors include Harvey Nichols and Starbucks.

This year Alfa Romeo is sponsoring the inaugural New Designer Competition, while Elite has helped to select 19 models from the 130 students who auditioned. Furthermore, they've shown interest in bringing three of them on to their books.

Nicholas Worsley, a fourth-year history student has been involved in the show for two years, and this year sees him rise to the position of director. "Thanks to the power of social networking, the event has become quite well-known among students across the UK," he says. "This year we've been able to consult with the British Fashion Council as well as Elite and designer Amy Molyneaux of PPQ, and their input has been invaluable. It's a great experience for everyone on the committee and it's a wonderful thing to be involved in."

For the young organisers, it's important that the event is able to hold its own in the fashion firmament. Production values are high, promotional photoshoots take place at Hopetoun House on the outskirts of Edinburgh and the designers who loan their precious collections are among the most talented in the country. In the run up to the event the show is promoted via a YouTube channel, Facebook page, magazine and a pop-up shop on campus.

The show has had coverage in international fashion bibles Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, and reporting from last year's event, Country Life Magazine said: "Beer and charity shop clothes were cast aside in favour of Moet and Miu Miu as students paraded like professionals in collections flown in from New York, London and Milan."

Labels including Giorgio Armani, Prada, Miu Miu and Vivienne Westwood have been loaned in the past, and this year models will showcase Autum/Winter 2011 collections from Amanda Wakeley, Nicole Fahri and William Tempest, among others.

Third-year student Matilda Knutsson who is studying international relations has been involved in the show since enrolling at St Andrews. This year sees her head up the creative team. "I've worked on very professional shows in Stockholm for established brands, and this is as good as anything they put on," she says. "We're all very committed to it. I spend more time working on it than I do on my school work to be honest. I treat it like a job and I'll be very proud to have it on my CV. I'm interested in a career in fashion and a lot of designers know who we are so it's definitely an asset to have been involved."

It's not just the committee members who're excited about tonight's event. For many students, it's a chance to take a break from studying to enjoy a glamorous night out, and with tickets ranging from 15 to 90, the evening is designed to be as inclusive as possible.

Student Kate Kilgour says: "FS last year was amazing; the atmosphere at their show is always brilliant and the amount of money they raise for charity is outstanding. I am super excited to see what they come up with this year. They always put on a spectacle."

The St Andrews University Fashion Show will be on tonight at 7:30pm at North Haugh, in a marquee next to New Hall, www.standrewsfashion.co.uk

This article was first published in The Scotsman, 26 February, 2011