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Trinity, our treasurer for The University of Edinburgh Fashion Society this year, is a masters student who is new to Edinburgh. I got the opportunity to talk to her about her favourite places in Edinburgh, and how she finds the city.
Keep reading to learn more about Trinity’s role in the society, her favourite pieces from her wardrobe and her surprising style inspirations!

Lily: What is your name?

Trinity: Trinity Rungasamy

Lily: So, how come you chose the meadows for our interview?

Trinity: Well, I haven't been here that long, but it was one of the first places I got to know and I walk through there every day to go to uni. Plus, I love autumn. It's my favourite season. So it looks very, very lovely right now. It's a very relaxing, peaceful place. I love people watching so it’s perfect. Plus, you always get to say hi to some dogs, like one even today one came up to us and just like, crashed the photos. Yeah. But yeah, I really miss my dogs at home, so I love sitting there. At the beginning of the academic year, there was a heat wave. So I met loads of my current friends, having picnics in the park, which is really nice.

Lily: Had you been to Edinburgh before you came here for your degree?

Trinity: So, I only came here for three days, I think, in the October, just on a little trip because I’d never been before. This was when I was just starting to think about coming.

Lily: What are you wearing today, talk me through your outfit.

Trinity: I’m wearing my leopard print coat, which is basically the centre of the outfit. It’s definitely one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe. I wanted one for years and years. It was literally since Arielle Vanderburg and Alex Turner, when she wore the cheetah print coat. I'd wanted one for ages, and I was searching for one for ages. And then, I think three years ago, I found one on eBay, and it's the one I have. And so I'm gonna keep this for ages. I wanted to wear something that was the most “me”. If you asked my friends, they would say that I would wear something like this: mini skirt, boots, leopard print coat.

And then I'm wearing this top, which was my mum's from the 90s. I think she bought it when she was my age, when she first started to work in London. It's Burberry. And, one day she was just like, do you want this? Obviously I said yeah, and I love it. It's got the Union Jack on it, but in a Vivienne Westwood, punk way, not a patriotic way, *laughing*. And then I'm wearing this black mini skirt. I searched for black mini skirt for over a year. I don't know why it took me so long to find one, but this one I really love. It's pleated corduroy. It's perfect.

Then I have these boots. I love a pair of knee high boots, like I have so many. I actually got these this summer, because I wanted a comfortable pair, because normally I'd wear heeled boots, but then it's too cobbley here in heels, so I got these. Then finally, I'm wearing leg warmers underneath, because it's kind of cold today.

Lily: Where are your boots from?

Trinity: Urban outfitters!

Lily: Oh, nice! I’m sensing heavy Vivienne Westwood inspiration. You have the rings, and the necklace… Are you a big Vivienne Westwood fan?

Trinity: I am yeah. So, I got this necklace as my graduation present, so only a few months ago. Then I have the rings. I did fashion society at UCL. They had a fashion show, and the theme was to “dress as your favourite era”. I went for Vivienne Westwood punk, like the red tartan and fishnet. And then, I was looking through all her past archival stuff. Oh my god, I love her! So now I’m kind of obsessed.

Lily: I know you mentioned it briefly, but what is your favourite item in your wardrobe, and why?

Trinity: My favorite item is actually probably another jacket. I love jackets. I'm obsessed! *laughing* Yeah, it's probably my leather jacket. Is just a normal, black one. It kind of doubles as two, because in the summer I switch to a thin one and then a thick one in winter. Like, I can't be without my leather jacket. It just makes any outfit look cool, you can style it in so many different ways, it's quite simple. But, yeah, I used to live in Camden when I was in London, and they had the best second hand jacket shop. I ended up buying so many different leather jackets. I think they were around 12 pounds. I got, like, faux fur ones and everything. But then a black leather one is always my staple, yeah.

Lily: Do you prefer a bomber or a biker?

Trinity: A bomber. I’ve gone through a lot. I’ve gone for a cropped bomber, a brown leather one. I love my red one and I’ve got a sage green trench-style one that was given to me by one of my mum’s friends. So yeah, I have a little bit of a collection.

Lily: So, are you from London originally?

Trinity: Just outside, yeah. Around Essex, Hertfordshire…? But I was at UCL for my undergrad.

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Lily: Oh yeah! So I know you mentioned fashion society, but what other experience do you have with fashion, either professionally or personally?
Trinity: So, not much professional experience really. I don't think I'm really looking for anything professional. I mean, maybe in another life. But yeah, no, I went down the science route. So, I don't know, fashion's always been my main form of self expression. I've always loved creative stuff, like I did art and drama growing up, so it's like my main creative outlet now. But, I've met, like most of my friends, through fashion related things like vintage shopping and stuff like that. I don't know. I just got a sewing machine at Christmas, so I really want to start making my own clothes. But it's all for fun, really.
Lily: What is your role on the committee this year?
Trinity: I’m the treasurer!
Lily: Have you had any experience with treasurer roles before?
Trinity: I haven't, no. I’ve never actually done a committee role before. My undergrad was messed up by COVID.
Lily: I have actually always wondered: what does a treasurer actually do?
Trinity: *Laughing* Basically just manages all the finances. Make sure that we manage our budget well enough to be able to do most of the events and everything like that. For fashion society our main events were the sex and the city night and the fashion show. So, essentially making sure that we can do the most for that and then making sure the money goes to charity and things like that.
Lily: How do you think your previous experience will help you in your role this year?
Trinity: I do stem, so I’m good at maths. Good counting comes with the territory. And then, I don't know, fashion has always been more of a fun thing for me. So I think doing a lot of activities, or, like, just based on fashion in general when I go out with my friends, I can bring a lot of suggestions to events we could do. Because really, I just want to get to know everyone, and do loads of fun events. So yeah, I guess I'm bringing less of a professional aspect, more of just a “fun, get to know everyone” aspect

Lily: Finally, what are you most excited about with Fashion Society this year?

Trinity: Oh, I don’t know! Obviously the fashion show is very exciting. But I was also really excited for the charity night, which was a huge success. It feels like a crime but I only started watching Sex and the City recently!

Lily: Yeah, I only started watching it at the end of last year! I feel like I definitely should’ve watched it before.

Trinity: My mum had been telling me for years: “It’s amazing” and I just started watching it. It’s so good, I’m obsessed! So the charity night was really fun. Obviously that was my first event that I had proper treasurer duties for and its’ raising money for charity as well.

Lily: So is your mum into fashion as well then?

Trinity: She’s not!

Lily: Oh, really?

Trinity: No, I mean, she loves her bags, she loves her shoes. But, no. She works in finance.

Lily: So, a very “stem” household?

Trinity: Exactly yeah! She loves arts, and creativity and singing and stuff so she is very creative.

Lily: Do you think that’s where some of your interest in creative stuff, like fashion, comes from?

Trinity: Definitely, I think so. Actually, my grandma is a big fashion icon. She loves a fur coat, she loves her dark red, she has so much jewellery.

Lily: She’s ahead of the trends!

Trinity: Honestly, I look at her, and I’m like “you’re following the trends … maybe they’re following you!”

Lily: Definitely! Thank you so much for talking to me!

Trinity: Thank you!

Meet our Treasurer.

y2k’s return to our wardrobes

Modelling: The Revival