dont walk

What dont walk does

DONT WALK is a student-run, Scottish-registered charity (No. SC042338) established in 2001 by international students at the University of St Andrews in direct response to the September 11 attacks. Operating on the principle of refusing to 'walk past' societal problems, the organization uses fashion, performance, and events as vehicles to raise awareness and funds for global charitable causes. Its core activity is the production of an annual themed fashion show — currently in its DW26 cycle, with prior editions including DW25 (Daedalus / Urban Odyssey), DW24 (Insurgence), DW23 (Ascent), DW22 (Revelation), and earlier iterations — staged at the University of St Andrews and featuring runway, choreography, music production, and performance art. The show has featured pieces from fashion houses such as Raf Simons, Alice + Olivia, Altuzarra, and Eres, and has generated press coverage in British Vogue, CR Fashion Book, Teen Vogue, and Vogue.

The organization's product surface extends beyond the annual runway to include the DONT WRITE blog (interviews, charity partner profiles, event coverage), 'Myths by the Sea' film content, and the DONT WEAR sub-initiative. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization is event- and content-driven, not technology-driven. Revenue is generated exclusively through corporate sponsorships (past sponsors include Morgan Stanley, L'Oréal, Bank of America, LVMH, HBO, Vivienne Westwood, Red Bull, Estée Lauder, La Perla, and Salvatore Ferragamo) and charitable donations. Funds are directed to rotating charity partners — Wounded Warrior Project (DW24), Doctors Without Borders and Peaceful Tomorrows (DW25) — with annual rotation driven by the Creative Director's thematic vision. The organization maintains no parent company, receives no external investment, and is governed entirely by an annually refreshed student committee.

Name

dont walk

Legal name

DONT WALK

Website

https://dontwalk.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DONT WALK is a student-run Scottish registered charity at the University of St Andrews, founded in 2001 in response to 9/11, that produces an annual themed fashion show and related content to raise funds and awareness for rotating charitable causes including veterans' support, medical humanitarian aid, and peace advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charity Fashion Show Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

Keywords

• Student charity fashion show
• University fundraising events
• Charitable runway production
• Nonprofit event organization
• Fashion activism platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Andrews

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship: Annual fashion shows are funded through corporate sponsorships from fashion brands, consumer goods companies, hospitality brands, and beauty companies. Sponsors receive brand visibility at events and across promotional materials.
2. Charitable Donations: As a Scottish registered charity (No. SC042338), the organization raises funds for partnered charitable causes including Wounded Warrior Project, Doctors Without Borders, and Peaceful Tomorrows.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DONT WALK is a student-run charitable organization based at the University of St Andrews that produces an annual fashion show combining runway fashion, choreography, performance, and music to raise funds and awareness for partnered charitable causes. Founded in 2001 in response to 9/11, it operates as a Scottish registered charity (No. SC042338) and supports causes such as Wounded Warrior Project, Doctors Without Borders, and Peaceful Tomorrows. It also publishes year-round editorial content through its DONT WRITE blog and produces film content such as Myths by the Sea.

Product overview

DONT WALK is a student-run fashion show organization based at the University of St Andrews, established in 2001 in response to 9/11. The organization produces an annual flagship fashion show (currently DW26), supplemented by year-round content through its DONT WRITE blog platform and film initiatives such as Myths by the Sea. The core product is the annual fashion show event, which combines runway fashion, choreography, music production, and performance art, all tied to charitable fundraising for selected partners. Additional sub-initiatives include DONT WEAR, managed by dedicated creative team members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DW26 Fashion Show Flagship annual student-run fashion show featuring runway presentations, choreography, performance art, and charitable fundraising, run by the DW26 committee of approximately 50+ University of St Andrews students.
• DW25 Daedalus / Urban Odyssey Fashion Show 2025 edition of the annual fashion show themed around Greek mythology and the Odyssey, reimagined through an urban chaos narrative, supporting charitable partners Doctors Without Borders and Peaceful Tomorrows.
• DONT WRITE Blog Year-round editorial platform featuring interviews with creative directors, charity partner spotlights, and event coverage including DW25 launch content.
• Myths by the Sea Film content initiative by DONT WALK extending the organization's artistic expression through moving-image storytelling.
• DONT WEAR Sub-initiative within DONT WALK's creative portfolio, managed by a dedicated committee team including Head of DONT WEAR and DONT WEAR Assistant roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Featured fashion houses such as Raf Simons, Alice + Olivia, Altuzarra, Eres
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peaceful TomorrowscoreOthersDW25 Charity Partner. Organization of 9/11 family members founded February 2002 at UN buildings in NYC. Mission to turn grief into actions for peace. Elizabeth Miller serves as key contact representing families who lost loved ones on 9/11.
• Doctors Without Borders (MSF)coreOthersDW25 Charity Partner. Independent, neutral medical humanitarian organization bringing care to people affected by conflict, disasters, epidemics, and social exclusion. Gabriel Pendleton represents MSF in the partnership.
• Wounded Warrior ProjectcoreOthersDW24 Charity Partner. Founded 2003, honors and empowers post-9/11 wounded warriors. Provides mental health programs, career counseling, and rehabilitative care. Julian Willis represented WWP.
• Diet CokeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDW24 (INSURGENCE) Show Sponsor. One of multiple commercial sponsors providing funding and brand visibility for the annual fashion show.
• L'OréalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDW23 (ASCENT) Show Sponsor. Major beauty brand supporting student fashion show.
• Morgan StanleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDW20 (ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE) Show Sponsor. Financial services firm supporting the 2020 show.
• Vivienne WestwoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDW19 (INFERNO) Show Sponsor. Fashion house supporting student charity fashion show.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Fashion Revolution: Global fashion charity and advocacy movement that uses fashion as a vehicle for social change. Comparable to DONT WALK in combining fashion with a charitable/social mission, though organized as an advocacy NGO rather than an event-driven student organization.
• Centre for Sustainable Fashion: Research and education center at University of the Arts London focused on fashion and social purpose. Comparable to DONT WALK in combining fashion with charitable/social outcomes, though operating as an academic research center rather than a student-run event-production charity.
• Redress: Hong Kong-based environmental charity working to reduce textile waste and promote sustainable fashion, including the Redress Design Award fashion show. Comparable to DONT WALK as a charity that uses fashion shows to advance a social/environmental mission, though focused on sustainability rather than humanitarian causes.
• Graduate Fashion Foundation: UK-based charity supporting emerging fashion talent and organizing Graduate Fashion Week. Comparable to DONT WALK at the intersection of charity, education, and fashion show production, though focused on graduate-level designers rather than student-led shows.

Broad incumbents

• IMG (Endeavor): Global entertainment and fashion event production company, parent of IMG Models and Fashion Week producers. Comparable as a producer of fashion events and runway shows, though IMG operates at a vastly larger commercial scale.
• British Fashion Council: UK fashion industry body that promotes British fashion globally and organizes London Fashion Week and related events. Comparable to DONT WALK as a UK-based organization producing high-profile fashion events, though at a much larger industry-wide scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DONTWALKFASHION

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about dont walk