The concourse at Waterloo Station was transformed into a living catwalk for a special event in celebration of Railway 200 and south west London’s fashion heritage.

Kingston-based non-profit The Community Brain hosted the event with help from Railway 200, bringing its ‘60 Years of Fashion in Kingston’ project to the capital for the first time.

Titled ‘200 Years of Fashion at Waterloo Station’, the event showcased the evolution of the nation’s attire over the last two centuries, progressing from the 1820s to the present day. It aimed to celebrate not only how fashion has evolved alongside railway history, but also the creative community spirit that continues to power both.

The unique, immersive event saw Waterloo Station’s main concourse come alive on the morning of 17 September, with each decade being represented by an outfit worn by one of 40 models, made up of volunteers from South Western Railway, Network Rail, and the wider community.

Depictions of travel wear from 1820 to 1960 was sourced from Sheffield-based business Molly Limpet’s Costume Hire, while the looks from the 1970s onwards were curated from charity shops.

Era-appropriate luggage and bags were used to create the most historically authentic depictions of Britain’s travellers as possible. Other props, such as umbrellas, walking sticks, hats, gloves, and more have been collected from Waterloo Station’s lost property, repurposing previously forgotten belongings to help bring an authentic added touch of glamour to the day.

The big event also featured live music, including the public debut of a new song written for the event courtesy of Our Lady Immaculate Primary School choir. They were joined by Luther and Buddy of the Eel Pie Two, playing a variety of popular vintage rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, country, and skiffle, topped off with a little jazz.

Robin Hutchinson, director of The Community Brain, said: “We are delighted to be part of the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations marking the astonishing impact rail has had since 1825. Sometimes it’s hard to grasp what two centuries of time means but the massive changes in fashion can help visualise it.

“We have spent 2025 shedding light on the impressive achievements of Kingston School of Art’s students within the fashion industry. We are excited to have brought some historic glamour to Waterloo Station, and to share the fascinating history of travel fashion with its passengers.”

Learn more about South Western Railway’s work in the community here.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Community Brain via their website.

All photos courtesy of dfd visuals.