PULLMAN, Wash. — Fabian Solano-Tovar arrived at Washington State University having no idea how to thread a sewing machine. On Friday, April 4, he will be one of 21 WSU seniors with an entire clothing line featured in “Metanoia,” the WSU Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles (AMDT) 42nd annual fashion show.
A feature of WSU’s Family Weekend, the event starts at 7 p.m. in Beasley Coliseum on the WSU Pullman campus.
“The fashion show is like the Super Bowl for our students and department,” said Yini Chen, an AMDT assistant professor who is overseeing the show for the third consecutive year. “It’s a place for them to showcase what they’ve spent so much of their time, energy, and knowledge on. It’s their moment in the spotlight and an opportunity for the public to see their talent.”
Solano-Tovar’s clothing line is inspired by the American West and cowboys, mixed with an influence of Mexican culture. His theme is inspired, in part, by his Latin heritage, he said.
“I had no experience sewing or designing clothes,” said Solano-Tovar, a Vancouver, Washington, native who will graduate from WSU in May with a degree in apparel design. “I remember struggling to make a pocket in class, and now I’m creating a full fashion line. I still have the first piece of fabric I sewed to remind me how far I’ve come.”
Kiah Conway is, in some ways, the opposite of Solano-Tovar. She started sewing at age 6 and came to WSU especially for its design program. The Anchorage, Alaska, native knew about the fashion show before she arrived, but watching it her first year ramped up her excitement to eventually make her own collection.
Each design student officially starts the process for their lines early in the fall semester of their senior year by choosing a design theme. Many students often start thinking about themes years in advance.
“I changed my mind so many times over the years,” Conway said. “But last summer, I hit on an idea — gardens and plants — where I felt most at peace.”
From their individual themes, students then create at least three designs by the end of the fall semester. When the spring semester kicks off in January, they get to work making their designs real.
The last few weeks before the show can be stressful. Many students stay on campus during spring break so they can work extra hours without classes getting in the way. Students have 24-hour access to the AMDT studio, so they can make their own schedule to finish their products.
“It’s wonderful to have this experience, but it’s a lot of work,” Conway said. “Everything we’ve learned over the last four years goes into creating an entire collection. It’s such an invaluable experience, one that I’ll use going forward as I look for jobs in the field.”
Solano-Tovar agrees with Conway.
“It’s a really fun major and experience, but it’s a lot of work,” he said. “I think people overlook how much is involved in any item of clothing: finding an idea, doing sketches, deciding which fabrics to choose for each design, and then making it.”
Many students also work behind the scenes of the fashion show. AMDT seniors Jeremiah Lara and Remy Cummings are the Metanoia stage manager and assistant stage manager, respectively. They meet with designers regularly to make sure everyone is on schedule and has what they need. They also oversee committees that work with models, create music and slides during the show, provide show promotion, and more.
“It’s stressful, but I’ve enjoyed every minute,” said Lara, an apparel merchandising major from Puyallup, Washington. “I love this department and that we have a show that spotlights our incredibly talented AMDT students.”
One new aspect of this year’s show is a Touchnet website, which allows the public to buy tickets from AMDT online. The department is also selling merchandise on the site to raise money that will go toward show production, material costs for designers, and more.
Tickets cost $20, with VIP tickets available for $60. A wine and beer garden precedes the show at 5 p.m. Guests can purchase tickets online.