Iowa State students took part in The Fashion Show on Saturday at Stephens Auditorium with a sold-out show.

The 43rd annual event featured a ‘dreamscape’ theme, showcasing 99 student-created designs and a guest designer presentation from the Parade company.

The preparation for The Fashion Show brought participating students closer together.

“I feel like it’s really hard in college to find a community sometimes, and that’s what this is,” Madie Roberts, a managerial producer for The Fashion Show, said. “Everyone knows each other and we uplift each other, we support each other and we just want to see each other thrive and it is amazing.”

Maddie Rossi, another managerial producer, credits The Fashion Show team for making the event her favorite thing she has ever been part of at Iowa State.

“I’ve grown close with so many people,” Rossi said. “It is impressive that we’re a student organization, and we could be able to come together and fundraise by ourselves, and it’s truly all of us that come together and make it happen.”

Sarah Bennett-George, The Fashion Show’s student organization advisor, guides the committee members and directors by teaching the students the leadership skills necessary to put on the event.

“We have two classes that meet every single Wednesday night through the fall semester and through the spring semester,” Bennett-George said. “It’s pretty hands-on with directly working with the producers, the directors and kind of overseeing the process.”

The participating students began their roles cautiously but grew into them as the year went on, according to Bennett-George.

“When they first get into their roles, they’re very tentative and are scared to do things wrong,”Bennett-George said. “As we get over the course of the year, to see them grow confident in what they’re doing, and making decisions and making incredible things happen, that’s like the most rewarding thing a teacher can ever have, is to watch your students succeed like that.”

The planning for The Fashion Show started in August. The producer’s responsibilities led them to oversee the entire crew. Roberts and Rossi had to consider 200 applicants to build committees for this year’s event.

Rossi said the producers are responsible for putting together the set design team, bringing in guest judges and a specialized PR team.

The Fashion Show crew has 15 committees consisting of students from a variety of majors outside of fashion and design.

“I think it’s fun to see everyone’s strengths and what they do in the show,” Roberts said. “It all comes together, and it’s all because of the students, and that’s pretty rare, so it’s really special to see.”

Alex Middleswart, a sophomore in accounting and co-director of the finance committee, had previously kept The Fashion Show off of his radar but ended up enjoying the experience.

“It’s seriously one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in my college career, like top two,” Middleswart said. “You only have so much time while you’re here in college, so you may as well go for it.”

Blake Tighe, a senior in finance and another co-director of the finance committee, credits the variety of committees for making The Fashion Show a collaborative work environment.

“You don’t even have to have experience in fashion to play a part,” Tighe said. “You can bring different ideas to whatever committee you’re helping out with and there’s just a lot of opportunity for everyone.”

The Fashion Show awarded over $15,000 in scholarships to participating students.

The Lora and Russ Talbot ISU Fashion Show Best in Show Scholarship is given annually to a student whose design rose above the rest.

Kai Marias Huntoon won the $2,500 scholarship for a piece that “stood out for its cohesion, construction, styling and overall communication of the voice of the designer,” according to the judges.

Elli Allen won the Lora and Russ Talbot ISU Merchandising Scholarship for developing the best merchandising case study.

The Evelyn and Richard Shibles Fashion Show Senior Collection Scholarship was awarded to three students whose designs were featured in the show and created in the AMD 4950 – Senior Design Studio class. The scholarship awards first, second and third place to students.

Abigail Klauer won the first place scholarship with ‘Odyssey Unbound,’ Katie Bradley placed second with ‘Mosaic: Restoring the Broken’ and Edgar Zaragoza placed third with ‘IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN.”

The Fashion Show also awarded two internships to eligible students.

Behind the scenes director Dillon Tracey won the merchandising internship and Huntoon won the design internship.