Dozens of models frantically scramble backstage, perfecting their appearances until they are dressed to kill. Their hair is perfectly sculpted. Their makeup is intricately applied. On the other side of the stage curtain, more models take turns strutting up and down a spotlighted catwalk with confidence and allure. Cheers from the audience overpower pulsating music each time a new model takes the stage. Welcome to Ames.

Saturday night Stephens Auditorium will play host to Iowa State’s annual Pulse fashion show. Modeled after a professional fashion show, the event will feature roughly 120 entries, and 90 of them will be modeled by ISU students that survived a rigorous audition process to score the job.

The majority of the fashions to be displayed were selected in this year’s student competition, many of them created as class assignments and independent projects.

Heidi Frohardt, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, has created a dress for Saturday’s show that utilizes an object that is found around the house.

“It is kind of a basic, black, strapless dress, but I used umbrellas as the train,” Frohardt said.

Although it may seem strange to use umbrellas on a dress, Frodhardt said they provided the shape and design she wanted.

“We are encouraged to use many different things,” she said.

Frohardt, co-producer of the fashion show, works alongside Matthew Haffarnan, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production. Frohardt and Haffarnan have undergone an enormous amount of work planning the show, and Frohardt said the pair has been highly anticipating this week.

“Matthew and I have been working on it since it [the previous show] ended last year,” Frohardt says.

Haffarnan admits putting together the show has been a large undertaking, but said it will be worth it in the end.

“This year my favorite part [of the show] is going to be when the models walk out on stage and the show goes off so well,” Haffarnan said. “I’m going to be so, so excited. That will be the most rewarding part – actually seeing it come through.”

The work Haffarnan and Frohardt put in has given this show more edge than previous shows.

“We are definitely trying to go a different way,” Frohardt said.

Rather than the usual white runway and simple sets, the set for the fashion show will be darker and the music will also be different.

In addition to a reworked stage and choice of music, the show will also feature collections from two professional New York designers.

“This year we have two guest designers: One that does menswear and one that does dresses,” Haffarnan said.

Marck Marcellus, head designer and CEO of The Denim Factory, will be showing off his collection of urban denim and shirts and Kristine Eikenbary, head designer for Seduis and Flip, will be showcasing her prom dresses and evening gowns.

Katie Adam, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, said clothes featured in the runway portion of the show will be broken down into four categories.

“We basically have different segments: urban wear, evening wear, casual wear and experimental design,” Adam said.

Some of Adam’s chosen designs will be in the casual-wear and evening-wear sections. When developing her designs, Adam said she tried to broaden her talents.

“With each project I try to develop a new skill,” Adam said. All of her designs will be displayed on the runway by student models.

Jennifer Starr, sophomore in apparel merchandising, design and production, modeled in last year’s show and will model again this year.

She said she returned to model this year because modeling last year was an experience she couldn’t wait to duplicate.

“It is a great feeling,” Starr said.

“It’s a rush, a huge rush. After you do it, you want to do it again.” One outfit Starr will be modeling is a pair of dress shorts and kimono-style jacket in the casual wear section.

“It is something I would actually buy,” she said. Starr has put in at least five hours a week this semester for the show and is proud of how it has turned out.

“It’s an awesome show, it really is,” she said. “I’m really impressed.”