PULLMAN, Wash. -– Plaids, pleats and canine models are among the newest additions to Washington State University’s Moms Weekend fashion show.
“Collection Avant-Garde” begins at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 13, in the Beasley Coliseum. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. The show features the design work of nearly 30 student apparel designers as well as hundreds of student models, artists and production assistants, according to Jennifer Infanger, WSU alumna and instructor for the 2007 fashion show class in the Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles.
“We use a lot of the student body to put on this show,” said Infanger. Last year, more than 3,500 attended the annual event. Infanger said those attending this year’s show will see several new trends.
“Several people are using plaids in their designs, which has not been as prevalent in past shows,” she said. “This year’s show also features a lot of edgy, everyday clothing in addition to creative formal attire.”
Pleats and ruching are a big part of some of the student fashion lines this year. And, Infanger said, one student has actually designed some canine couturier to complement her people apparel. “We will have dogs on the runway for the first time,” she said.
The fashion show is the culmination of the AMT 412 Fashion Line Development and AMT 496 Special Event Production – offered by the department, Infanger said. She said the show gives students a firsthand lesson in time management and “an appreciation of deadlines.”
“The students only have two weeks to produce each garment in a four-garment line,” she said.
The show also provides the students with an opportunity to feature their own creativity. “Before the show, we do various creative exercises that aid the designers in determining what they will make,” Infanger explained. “This is really them exploring ‘How can I express myself in fashion?’”
She said participation in the fashion show and the number of students interested in apparel design is increasing and attributed at least some of that to “Project Runway,” a reality television show that features a competition among clothing designers.
“More people are realizing that design is not some froufrou job, but something that takes hard work and creativity,” she said.
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