This Saturday, the ISU Fashion Show is celebrating its 25th year of bringing design and innovation to campus. FYI sat down with the designers, models and directors of the student-run show to talk about what inspires them to come back each year.

Designers

After hours upon hours of planning, the inspired fashion designers participating in this year’s show are ready for their creations to hit the runway. For most, the inspiration and planning process began months ago.

Molly Immel, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, created three blue cocktail dresses inspired by Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.” Models for this collection will wear red patent leather shoes to complete Dorothy’s signature look.

“I wanted to make it more modern. From the design layout, people can see that it represents her, though it’s not exactly what she wore,” Immel said.

Immel is involved in the production as both a designer and fundraising director, and said it is an exciting thing each year.

Fallon Fetzer, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, entered four outfits from her senior collection into the show. She devoted roughly 80 hours to designing separates, including pants, tops, jackets and vests. Fetzer also entered a formal dress and a day suit she created in her patternmaking class.

“I thought they were good enough for the show,” she said.

Sally Westphal, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, spent roughly 50 to 60 hours per week developing her designs for the show.

“Sometimes, it’s almost a full-time job,” she said.

As part of her senior collection, Westphal entered a children’s theater collection. She plans to go into theater design for graduate school, and this line has helped to build her portfolio.

Andrea Skinner, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, said she spent a couple hundred hours and a lot of late nights designing three dresses for her evening wear collection. Her line is all black and gold, and features diamonds and sparkly metal pieces.

“I’m very happy and proud of my line. I hope the judges see it the same way I do,” Skinner said.

Sara Price, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production is both a designer and student in the fashion show production class Textiles and Clothing 271. According to the 2005-2007 ISU course catalog, the class is an “overview of fashion promotion process . of producing a fashion show through developing budgets, publicity and advertising, fundraising, presentation, choreography, music, staging and lighting.”

Price is responsible for finding judges to evaluate designs and taking submissions, as well as fitting and dressing the models.

Models

To model in the fashion show, students of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities attend tryouts during the planning stage. If selected, models must practice once every week until the show.

This year, the show is titled “Reflect.”

“It is really classy, elegant and completely different from last year’s,” said Talia Jensen, sophomore in apparel merchandising, design and production. “I’m really excited about the music; it’s classical with a hop-hop beat in the background.”

Jensen will model two dresses and a jacket.

Seth Inyang, senior in mechanical engineering, will participate in the show for the second time as a model. He enjoyed his experience modeling last year and wanted to do it again. In addition to modeling, Inyang and two friends, Rod Rivera, junior in mechanical engineering, and Andy Gionnette, senior in mechanical engineering and Daily columnist, entered a pair of jeans into the show. The jeans have an engineering label on the back pocket. Next year, Inyang, Rivera and Gionnette plan to develop their own clothing line as well as produce a fashion show in collaboration with other designers.

Myron Batsa, senior in advertising, has not modeled in the ISU Fashion Show before, but said he is not nervous, because he models outside of school.

“I’ve been to the show three times now, [and] I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be in a student-run fashion show,” Batsa said.

Lindsey Shepard, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, will wear the ensemble, “Lady Death.”

“It’s a historical reference piece exploring the idea of death of a woman. It’s pretty intense,” she explained. “I think the show is going to be a lot better because it’s different and has a more elegant and classy feel, which is great for the 25th year celebration.”

Working as one of the directors of the modeling committee, Danielle Buckingham, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, has developed great leadership skills as well as an ability to be more assertive.

Her responsibilities encompass all that involves the models. She partakes in choosing hair and makeup styles, determining how the models will walk the runway, and picking what fits the theme of the show. “Having a significant role is very satisfying,” Buckingham said.

What to expect at the show

Those who attend can look forward to hearing classical music with a hip-hop twist, watching a light show, viewing unique pieces created in experimental design classes and witnessing models waltz down the runway in designs created by fellow students.

“This year’s show is going to be an elegant event that will show the latest trends through the eyes of Iowa State students,” said Travis Horn, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, and a director of the modeling committee. He said the show will be a complete 180 compared to the modern vibe of last year’s PULSE.

“It’s mixing class with a beat,” he said.

The first textiles and clothing fashion show was held in 1982; it was small in both audience and entries. As implied in the name, “Reflect,” the show will look back on the accomplishments and beauty of the past, yet capture creativity for the future. The production will showcase the talent and hard work of all involved.