| Fashion Enthusiasts 'Gunn' For Sustainability |
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| Written by Kristen Bahler, Daily Vidette Reporter |
| Wednesday, 15 April 2009 18:00 |
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At Wednesday night's "Green Chic Fashion Show" with special guest Tim Gunn, ISU fashion majors had to do more than just "make it work," . they had to make it perfect. "It's phenomenal that someone of such importance, such a fashion figure is here to enjoy the show that we really put our heart and soul into," Bridgett Adamik, the head director of design for the event, said. The fashion show, which the Apparel Merchandising and Design Association of ISU had been working on for an entire year, featured clothing made of completely sustainable and/or environmentally friendly fabric and featured a motivating keynote speech by Gunn. The entire affair made for a completely captivated audience, as efforts by the ADMA were anything but amateur. The models looked professional, the hair and makeup was flawless and the earthy feel of the intricate set design added to the night's organic nature. Overall, the Bone Student Center's Brown Ballroom went from a traditional Midwest feel to New York chic for the lucky fashion aficionados present. Since Gunn is certainly a prominent individual in the fashion world, all of ISU was anxiously awaiting the star of "Project Runway" and "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" to arrive. Gunn's headshot adorned the ISU website and lines filled with anxious chatter began to form outside the (sold out) show more than two hours before it began. "At last year's show, Dean Jeff Wood [of the College of Applied Science and Technology] just happened to be walking by," Kristin Lynch, a family and consumer ence major, said. "He was so impressed that he asked how he could help and the design students told him to get Tim Gunn . so he did." Gunn himself told the audience he only makes around two public appearances per year and that Dean Wood convinced him to travel to Normal because of immense student interest and the theme of sustainability. "None of this would have been possible without Dean Wood," Adamik said. Heather Smith, a junior psychology major, was front and center (or rather, as close to front and center as she could get) for the show to watch her roommate's designs walk down the aisle. "The fact that Tim Gunn was here was a major draw . he is an icon to the fashion industry," Smith said. [But I would come] regardless just to watch it all take place. Designing clothes is a huge process, especially "going green," and being more conscientious about fabric use, etc. adds more depth to the process." Smith added that in her opinion, being environmentally conscious goes far beyond the scope of the fashion industry. "I think it's a great idea, but in a global sense, not just fashion," she said. "It should be a more conscientious effort . almost automatic by now, not because it's the latest and greatest fad. But it will catch on. More and more organic and sustainable clothing and sustainability in general with catch on." Being roommates with a designer, Smith said that she was able to see the entire design process from the beginning stages of buying materials and sketching the line to the finished designs that appeared on the runway. "Not only did I get to see the clothes, I got to try them all on," Smith added. A huge stipulation for ISU design students who were interested in being part of the show was the obstacle of fitting the concept of sustainability into their lines: every piece of clothing had to be environmentally friendly. Those who bought tickets to the event were given a program outlining how each designer 'went green' with their designs. From simply using different types of organic fabric to fashioning a skirt out of old neckties, every item on display was creative, to say the least. "It was daunting. We never have had limitations before," Adamik said. "We're only making a little impact on a big problem . but it's really wonderful." |
