MSU’s future trendsetters will showcase their creative talents tonight in “Savoir Faire,” a fashion show designers say is more than the traditional catwalk strut.
“Around my models, I’ll have about eight people that will watch them and act really weird, because they’re going to be monkeys wearing masks and throw T-shirts at the audience,” said Melanie Cumming, an apparel and textile design senior said.
“I just have them go crazy, and it’s funny.”
The MSU Student Apparel Design Association has worked at piecing “Savoir Faire” together since August, and students have acted as creative and promotion artists.
“Everyone participated,” Robin Wallace, an apparel textile design senior and SADA president said. “We had to get lighting, music, advertising, just everything.”
“Savoir Faire” is French for “to know how to do.” This all-encompassing title appealed to the many creative minds who contributed to the show’s production, merchandising management junior Malgosia Wojtkowski said.
“A lot of people liked that title,” Wojtkowski said. “It’s saying ‘We know how to do it. We can sew, do the fashion thing and really put this together.’”
Wojtkowski, who called her designs “crafty and unusual,” said the show boasts the garment creations of 24 student designers and uses the strutting ability of 150 models - and the opening act features tango dancers.
Joe Berean, an apparel textile design sophomore and treasurer for SADA, co-designed his fashions for the show with Katie Wiberg.
“Our designs are 1980s inspired, so they’re a lot of early Madonna looks - punky, with denim and gold jewelry,” Berean said. “It’s got a modern punk 80s feel.”
Sally Helvenston, SADA advisor and associate professor in apparel and textiles, said the show offers a venue for students to display their talents.
“They view the show more as a way to express themselves and their ideas about apparel design,” she said. “But the competition is the really rewarding part of it.”
Awards include best in show, best collection and best alternative contemporary design, among others. Some awards include gift certificates or cash prizes.
The show begins at 7 p.m. in the Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $7 when pre-purchased, $10 at the door. For more information e-mail sada@msu.edu or visit www.fashionshow2001.com.
