App State students showcased their fashion designs on the runway at the annual Apparel Design and Merchandising Showcase at Holmes Convocation Center Saturday evening.
The showcase modeled a multitude of designs from the program’s Apparel Design Studio IV class, with additional features from Apparel Design Studio II, Sustainability in the Apparel Industry, denim, independent students and faculty.
Anthony Wilson, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Design and program director of the Apparel Design and Merchandising Spring Showcase, even showed up in a custom-made suit he designed as he opened and closed the event.
Each piece and collection explores a theme and tells a story of vulnerability, nature, history, fantasy and more through fashion, putting that creativity and expression into clothes.
Quinn Fullwood, a senior apparel design and merchandising major and first-place winner of the main show event for his “You’re Something Special to Me” collection, took inspiration from his childhood. He tied in his memories of his sisters when they were younger.
“She was in our older sister’s closet putting together the most insane outfit you could ever imagine,” Fullwood said, referring to his twin sister. “I just wanted to explore children before they learn the norms on how to wear clothes.”
After his win, he said the 18-hour sessions and all-nighters made it all worth it, having felt relieved when the announcement was made.
Along with the fashion, the designers selected music that empowered each of their main event collections and during one of the pre-show designs.
Deirdra Kenefick, a junior apparel design and merchandising major and winner of best studio II design, was the only one in the pre-show who chose a song. Kenefick said she believes “music really makes art sometimes,” so she worked to get her choice of song, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West, embedded into the show.
“I feel like it has such a correlation, and the dress and the walk itself, the whole thing — there’s a huge contrast,” Kenefick said.
Kenefick designed a blue silk charmeuse mini dress.
Wilson has watched about half of his students from the showcase evolve into who they are now as designers. He had them in a first-year class before seeing their progress when they became upperclassmen.
“I feel like a proud parent most of the time,” Wilson said.
He said this event gives students opportunities to move forward in their careers, honing in and executing their skills to be able to present to the public.
The event raised over $10,000 in ticket sales. Wilson wrote in an email that this money will go toward the production of next year’s showcase.