Students Fashion Designs on Display in Gustafson

By Logan Martinez
Originally Written: Jan. 27, 2012

Reading the newspaper, or getting groceries in plastic bags are everyday occurrences for many people, but for a specific group of designers, these everyday items are the materials needed to create entire lines of couture fashion.

Design and Merchandising students were given the objective to create circus-inspired designs or recycled material designs for the fall semester fashion show this past December.

Fifteen of those designs were chosen by esteemed Applied Human Science professors and are now on display in the Gustafson Gallery in Gifford for the Eco-Couture FGI Recycled Fashion 2012 display.

“The designs exhibited in the gallery were chosen because of the creativity, the materials used and the construction details,” explained Ruoh-Nan Yan, an associate professor in the design and merchandising department. “The designs chosen showcase a wide range of usage of recycled materials.”

Materials range from soda pop tabs, trash bags, newspaper and cardboard to window screens and video recording tape from old VCR movies.

Brittany Hughes, junior in Design and Merchandising and member of the CSU Fashion Group International chapter (FGI), has two of her designs in the exhibit.

“I actually helped set up the gallery and after the whole thing was finished and the lighting was on it, it was just a feeling of accomplishment,” Hughes, 20, said. “It was very nice to have everything put up and looking nice.”

Yan explained how upcycling, or creating products out of unwanted materials, is becoming more prevalent in the fashion market, but that these students are beyond the mainstream.

“The designs (of the students) are extremely unique and rare to see on the market today because the student designers put their creative thoughts into making those designs,” Yan said.

Sophomore Verretta Anderson, 19, has four of her designs in the exhibit, using soda pop tabs and trashbags as her theme, enjoys seeing her pieces on display.

“God, it is so exciting, I love it,” exclaims Anderson, Design and Merchandising major, “It is like a totally different experience to see it on the mannequin than walking down the runway and on somebody. Here, where you can see the detail and work the things took.”

Anderson, Hughes and the several other designers featured are honored by the exhibition of their hard work.
“Being recognized for the work that you do is always an honor,” Hughes says. “It is an amazing feeling to see your work on display, knowing that it was selected by faculty that is so respected.”

“I love that we are doing this and it is such an honor to have it in the gallery,” Anderson said. “I hope this is the first of many to come.”

The Gustafson Gallery is open to the public with this exhibit through March 31.